Searchlight
by JoyfulHeartEO
Summary: SEQUAL TO "RAGING FIRE"! I have been asked about it forever and I finally came up with an idea. This takes place 5 years after that story ended. Feel free to check that out again if you need a refresher or have never read it :) Rated T for a darker story line further down the road. I will try and update as soon as possible. Thanks! :)
1. Chapter 1

**Alright...I have been asked about a potential "Raging Fire" sequel pretty much since I finished it. And after much consideration and lots of thinking...I have finally come up with a storyline! Hopefully it is worth the wait. Here is the first chapter. I will try and update as often as possible. I will still be working on "Luke and Lorelai: A Playlist" at the same time so keep checking that!**

 **Like "Raging Fire" this is based on a Phillip Phillip's song, this one is the song "Searchlight". If you haven't read "Raging Fire" check that out or if you need a brief synopsis...it took place after Lorelai wrote the reference letter for Luke in season 7. Christopher did not take it well and attacked Lorelai. This story is five years later.**

* * *

 _Lorelai stood in front of the stove stirring the pasta in the pot. Her body was going through with the actions but her mind seemed to be a million miles away. This wasn't anything new…it had been like this since she walked away from Luke outside his Diner on that terrible night in May.  
_

 _Sighing, she tried to remind herself that this was the way her life was now. She was married to Christopher, he was her husband and she was his wife. It still felt strange to her, after all this time; after all they had been through to actually think they had actually gotten married. She had given up that dream a long time ago, and if she was being honest with herself it was the last thing she wanted. Sure, she wanted to be married but not to Christopher, she wanted to be Mrs. Lorelai Danes not Mrs. Lorelai Hayden.  
_

 _But…everything had blown up in her face and she had made a choice that had changed her life forever. Now she just had to learn to accept it…there was obviously no going back now. When she heard the footsteps coming down the stairs she took a deep breath and once again she tried to force a smile on her face, the same thing she had been doing for months now.  
_

 _"Hey, dinner's almost ready!" Lorelai called as she moved about the kitchen to try and find a strainer, "What do you want to drink?"  
_

 _"What the hell is this?" Christopher's voice boomed through the kitchen causing her to jump and turn back to him.  
_

 _"What is what?" She asked holding the strainer to her chest, her eyes fell down to the letter clutched tightly in his left hand. "Oh. That…" She took a deep breath and tried to take a step closer to him, "Chris I-"  
_

 _"Why would you write this letter?" He asked closing the distance between them, "I mean Jesus Lorelai…" He looked down at the words again, "Once Luke Danes is in your life…he's in your life forever?" He looked back up at her menacingly, "How is that supposed to make me feel?"  
_

 _"Chris I…I just…" She stepped back, feeling afraid of the anger that seemed to be bubbling up inside of her husband, "He was in trouble. He was going to lose April and I felt bad…I mean he already lost so much time with her and I didn't want him to lose anymore…"  
_

 _"Why do you even care?" Chris yelled at her, "Why do you care Lorelai? You're with me now aren't you?"_

 _She swallowed the lump that was growing in her throat, she had known Chris for a long time but she had never seen him this angry before. "Of course I'm with you…"_

 _"Then why does it matter what happens to him?" He asked stepping all the way up to her again, he was just inches from her face, "Why does it matter?"  
_

 _"I…I just…" Her hands started to shake when she realized she was backed up against the counter and had no way of getting away. "I wanted to help…he…he helped me a lot with Rory and-"  
_

 _He rolled his eyes and started to pull away as he paced the room, "Oh here we go. Here comes the lecture about how perfect the Diner guy is who was there for all the stuff with Rory that I missed."  
_

 _She shook her head as she placed the strainer down behind her, she grasped the counter top for strength, "I didn't mean it like that. I just felt like…I felt like I owed him…" She winced at her words when he turned back to her and closed the space between them again, "Chris I-"  
_

 _"Do you still love him?" He asked glaring down at her with such anger, Lorelai felt every fiber of her body screaming at her to run but she knew she couldn't.  
_

 _"Chris please-" She whispered softly as the tears started to fill her eyes.  
_

 _"Do. You. Love. Him?" He ground out each word as he leaned in closer to her.  
_

 _"I…" Her heart was pounding in her chest, she knew what the answer was but she couldn't tell him. "No. Of course not."  
_

 _"Do you love me?" He asked leaning so close she could feel his hot, angry breath against her face._

 _She swallowed the lump in her throat again, "Of-o-of course I do. You're my husband."_

 _Christopher snickered, "But he was supposed to be your husband first wasn't he?"_

 _She bit her lip nervously, "Chris don't…"_

 _He laughed bitterly and stepped back, "This is just great. This is fucking fabulous!"_

 _"Please…" She whispered as she pushed herself away from the counter as she tried to reach for him, "Luke and I broke up, okay? It's over. I was just trying to help him with April. It didn't mean anything. We are together now. You and me. We're married."_

 _He reared away from her hand, "But you wish it was him here don't you?"_

 _Her heart was screaming yes but she adamantly shook her head, "Of course not!"_

 _"You know…I've known you for a very long time Lorelai. You forget that I can read you like a book." He said stepping towards her again._

 _"Look let's just…let's forget about this okay? I promise after this letter I will not do anything for him. I won't even talk to him!" She yelled as she stepped back again bracing her hands behind her waiting to feel the counter dig into her back._

 _"And how the hell is that going to work Lorelai? We live in the same freaking town as the guy!" Chris yelled as he lifted the letter between them and glared down at her, "We have to stay in this fucking town because you won't leave and I know it's not because of the Inn! I know it's because you don't want to leave him. I'm not stupid."_

 _She shook her head, "It is because of the Inn! And because this is where Rory grew up and-"_

 _He laughed bitterly, "Rory's a big girl now Lorelai. She doesn't need to stay in the house she grew up in forever. She doesn't even live here!"_

 _Lorelai gasped for a breath, trying to think of what she could say to calm him down. "Christopher please…please calm down. You're starting to scare me…"_

 _He ignored her as he pushed her back against the counter, "She doesn't live here but I know she wishes it was Luke you married instead of me too. I'm her actual father and yet she still wishes that stupid Diner guy was here in this house. Do you know how that makes me feel Lorelai? Do you?"_

 _"I'm…I'm sorry okay? Luke has been a big part of her life for a long time. I'm sure it is difficult for her to just cut him out the way she has had too. You can't be mad at her for that." She said trying to plead with him to understand._

 _"Who has it been harder for Lorelai, you or Rory?" He asked tauntingly, "How much do you miss him, huh?"_

 _She flinched as she felt his right hand grab hold of her waist as he continued to push her against the counter, "Chris please stop…"_

 _His lips were against her ear as he continued to yell at her and his hand dug harder into her hip making her gasp in surprise and fear, "Do you wish it was him who was here with you tonight? Do you wish it was him who was touching you when we make love? Is that it? Do you picture him when I'm inside of you?"_

 _The tears were falling freely now and she tried to push him off of her but it was no use. "Stop. Please stop!"_

 _"Answer me Lorelai!" He said shoving her back against the counter again making her shriek, "Do you wish it was him when I kiss you? Do you wish it was him holding you at night?" He asked as other hand crushed the letter against her other side. "You want him Lorelai? Not me?"_

 _She could barely breath now she was so afraid, she wanted to run and get as far away from his as she could but she knew she couldn't fight him off. "Chris-" She chocked out as he continued to shove her back, digging the hard surface into her lower back. "You're hurting me. Please…please stop."_

 _"I bet you are thinking your precious Luke would never do this aren't you?" He said pulling back just enough to look her in the eyes. "Is there anytime you aren't thinking of him?"_

 _"Stop! I'm not thinking about anyone else! You're my husband!" She yelled hopefully as the tears spilled down her cheeks and onto her shirt._

 _Chris glared at her as he pulled all the way away finally letting her go, "Don't you forget that."_

 _He lifted his hand and before she could even react his full hand came in contact with her face making her scream in pain. When he pulled it back he didn't even try and apologize when she lifted her own hand to try and soothe the stinging against her red cheek. He lifted his hands again and she jumped as he shoved her back and she knew her back would be bruised in the morning along with her face._

Lorelai Gilmore Danes woke with a start. She gasped as she sat up in bed and put a hand over her racing heart. Her husband Luke rolled over beside her but continued to snore, he wasn't disturbed by her actions. She wiped a hand over her sweaty forehead and tried to keep calm. She hadn't dreamed about that terrible night in years...and yet here she was five years later dreaming about the night that had changed her life completely.

She swallowed hard and went to lie back down in bed when she noticed the top of a curly head at the foot of her bed. The worry from her bad dream began to float away and she smiled and pulled herself out of bed. She scooped up the young boy and he giggled but made sure to keep quiet as to not wake up his father.

She brought him out to the hallway before speaking to him, "Morning Jack Jack."

Little five year old Jack smiled up at his Mom, "Hi Momma."

"How long have you been awake?" She asked running a hand through his unruly hair.

"Not long." He said swinging his legs on either side of her, "Can we wake up Lise?"

Lorelai smiled and nodded, "I'm sure she's already awake. Come on." She put him down on the ground and smiled as she heard the pitter patter of his tiny feet running across the hall to his baby sister's room.

Sure enough one year old Elise was sitting up in her crib staring up at her Mother with her wide blue eyes. "She's up!"

Lorelai smiled and leaned over Jack and picked up her daughter and nuzzled her against her cheek, "Hello beautiful girl."

"Breakfast!" Jack called and smiled devilishly at her, "Daddy's asleep...can we have cocoa puffs?"

She smirked, "Well we both know I'm not cooking so yes."

Jack smiled and ran down the hallway to make his way down the stairs towards the kitchen. Lorelai carefully held her daughter as she made her own way down the stairs. She thought back to the dream she had had and it made her think about how much had changed since then. The night Christopher had attacked her had been one of the hardest nights of her life. She had never been so scared, and she had never expected to be in that situation to begin with. Christopher had done a lot of stupid things in his life, but she never dreamed he would have the ability to physically hurt her.

The whole process was a bit of a blur. But through it all Luke had stood by her despite the fact that they had had a terrible break up prior to Christopher hitting her. It still amazed her how Luke was able to put the past behind him and keep her steady so she wouldn't break apart. After the trial and things had settled down, they had built their dream house, gotten married and Lorelai gave birth to a healthy baby boy they named Jack William Danes. It was a difficult birth and Lorelai was told she most likely wouldn't have more children after that.

Though it was hard to hear, Luke and Lorelai had made peace with the news and were happy with their life. They had Rory, April and little Jack, and most importantly they had each other. But three and a half years later, Lorelai and Luke got the shock of their life. Lorelai was indeed pregnant. For nine months Luke watched every step that Lorelai made to make sure that both her and their baby would be safe. And finally, when she was ready, little baby Elise Katherine Danes was born.

Luke wasn't surprised it was a girl and he couldn't have been happier. When she found out she was pregnant prior to their wedding, Lorelai had told him she had dreamt of having a little girl with him. When Jack was born, neither of them were disappointed because he was the light in their life. But all along, little Elise was in the back of Lorelai's mind and of course she came into the world to surprise them all.

With Elise on her hip, she reached into the cupboard and took out the secret stash of cocoa puffs that they kept hidden from Luke. On days when Luke actually slept in, they took out the cocoa puffs because of course Lorelai was never one to cook. Not much in that part of her life had changed.

She placed the bowl of cereal down in front of Jack and he hopped up on the seat as he shoved a spoonful in his mouth, "I wish Daddy slept in more!"

Lorelai laughed and ruffled his hair, "You love his pancakes too."

She couldn't understand a word that her son said as he shoved the food in his mouth. She just shook her head and laughed as she put Elise securely in her height chair. She went to the fridge to get food for her but her mind was jumbled she didn't hear Luke come into the kitchen. She jumped and yelped when he put his hands on her hips.

"Hey...just me." Luke said with a frown as he turned her slowly and let the fridge close behind her, "You okay?"

She blinked quickly and plastered a smile on her face, "Yeah sorry! Just uh...haven't had any coffee yet. Must be half asleep."

Luke frowned but nodded slowly, "Well you had enough energy to give Jack that crap for breakfast." He said with a grumble.

Lorelai smiled, "Hey...everyone deserves a little sugar in the morning."

Luke smirked, "Speaking of which…" He leaned forward and kissed her gently, "Good Morning."

"Morning." She said placing a hand on his arm, "I didn't hear you come in last night. The kids were off the wall...I fell asleep with them."

Luke smiled, "I could tell it was a wild night. Jack's room looks like a tornado flew through it."

She smiled, "I didn't have the strength to clean it all up. I'll do it after you guys leave." She turned towards the counter and grabbed at the coffee pot, "What time does April's flight come in?"

"She is supposed to land by noon. We'll probably head out soon. Dinner here later, right?" He asked reaching into the fridge to get his juice, "I talked to Rory yesterday. She said she can't make it tonight but she'll be here tomorrow."

Lorelai nodded, "Yeah. She got behind on work and had to postpone until tomorrow. But April will be here all week so we have plenty of time."

Luke nodded, "Maybe we can go out on the boat one of these days. I think it's supposed to be pretty nice on Wednesday. Might as well take advantage of it since Labor Day is coming up."

"Which means our anniversary is coming up…" Lorelai said smiling as she ran a hand down his back. "What did you get me?"

Luke rolled his eyes, "It's always presents with you…"

"He got you-" Jack started to yell but Luke sprang into action and covered his mouth.

"Jack! You promised you wouldn't tell!" Luke said with a laugh as he held his son close.

She smirked at him, "You expect a five year old a secret? Not your smartest move babe…" She walked over to him and knelt down beside her son, "You can tell me later, okay?"

Luke groaned, "Jack...we made a deal."

Jack swallowed his cereal, "Sorry Mom. Dad said he'd let me have lucky charms for a whole week if I can keep the secret from you! That's going to be hard to beat!"

Lorelai scoffed, "Using sugary cereal to bribe our son! I wouldn't never have expected that of you sir!"

Luke rolled his eyes, "Seems to work with you...besides he didn't know what it was but he happened to find it. He has your ability to find all secretly wrapped presents."

"Good boy." Lorelai said patting his head as she stood up she was about to speak but Elise started crying in her seat, "Oh shoot…" She turned around, "Hey little one...I'm sorry! Daddy distracted me! Blame the bad man!" She said pointing at Luke.

Elise frowned and pointed at Luke, "Bad Da!"

Everyone except Luke laughed and he walked over to pick up his daughter, "Hey...don't be mean to Daddy. Don't teach her that…" Luke said holding Elise close, "I'm a good Dad."

"Bad Da!" Elise said pointing at him again, "Bad Da!"

"Lorelai…" Luke said with a slight laugh as he glared at his wife and held Elise out in front of him, "Fix it."

Lorelai smiled and leaned into her daughter, "Daddy is a very good Daddy okay? Momma was joking. Give him lovies."

Elise's pout turned to a smile and she leaned forward and gave Luke a sloppy kiss, "Goo Da!"

Luke chuckled and kissed her back, "Thank you pretty girl."

"Goo Da! Goo Da!" Elise chanted as she leaned against him.

"Mmmm...that makes me think of Gouda cheese. Do we have any?" Lorelai asked turning towards the fridge, "Yes!"

Luke groaned, "Guess I'm making you an omelette?"

"If you wanna be a goo husband yes!" Lorelai said with a smirk.

"You're nuts." Luke said handing her the baby and walking out the kitchen, "You feed her. I'll feed you."

"Can I crack the eggs Daddy?" Jack asked as he threw his bowl in the sink and ran to his side at the fridge.

"You got it Jack Jack. Grab me a bowl and a whisk, okay?" Luke asked as he took the eggs, bacon and cheese out of the fridge.

Lorelai smiled, grabbed Elise's baby food and settled her down in her seat once more. "Alright pretty girl...let's get you some fed too."

Lorelai took a deep breath as she fed her daughter and watched her son and husband in the kitchen. Those memories of Chris attacking her began to slide away because life today was much different than those dark days. It was only a dream...nothing more to worry about.

* * *

Around 10:15, Lorelai was up in Elise's room changing her and getting her dressed for the day. She placed her down on the floor where she would play with her toys as Lorelai cleaned up. But watching her daughter brought up more questions and concerns about her dream. Jack had reached an age where he was asking a lot of questions. Recently he had begun to ask about why April and Rory didn't live with them full time. This in turn brought on the question as to why April had a different Mom and why Rory had a different Dad.

Jack had met Anna many times. But of course he had never met Christopher because he had been locked up for the last five years. When he asked about Christopher, Luke often just said that he lived far away and Jack so far seemed satisfied with tha answer. But Lorelai was beginning to wonder how long that answer would suffice for her son.

Luke knocked on the door and walked in, he noticed the far off look on his wife's face again. She hadn't noticed that he had come in and his worry from earlier suddenly returned. He walked into the room, smiled at Elise and knelt down in front of Lorelai who was now sitting on the rocking chair in the corner of the room.

"Hey…" Luke whispered placing his hands on her knees, "What's going on in that head of yours?"

Lorelai snapped out of her daze and tried to smile at him, "Hey...sorry. I slept funny last night. Must be out of it still."

She leaned forward, pecked his lips and stood up to start placing Elise's pajamas in her hamper. Luke watched her for a moment and noticed how her shoulders were slouched and the usual light that she always omitted was missing.

With a heavy sigh, he pulled himself up and turned her around to face him. "Something is bothering you. I can tell. Just tell me. You mad at me about something?"

She shook her head and smiled at him, "No. I'm not mad at you."

Luke nodded, "Okay...well then what is it? You can tell me anything…"

Lorelai sighed and placed her hands on his chest, she looked down at the space where his heart was and shook her head, "It's nothing. You should go. I don't want you to be late picking up April. We can talk later."

"Lorelai…" Luke said softly as he pulled her close, "I don't like that you're hiding something from me." He said with a frown, "I have a few minutes...just tell me."

"I don't want to upset you before you leave. April is visiting and I want you to be happy. It's really nothing." Lorelai said trying to pull away but he pulled her closer still.

"So instead you want me to worry all day?" He asked raising an eyebrow.

She sighed and licked her lips before she began to talk, "I just...had a weird dream last night."

Luke nodded slowly and tried to keep her talking, "About what?"

She hated bringing up Christopher in any aspect, but especially what he had done to her. Luke had been so good to her through the whole process. But she also knew that deep down Luke had a lot of unresolved anger towards Chris and was always looking for ways to express it.

"About…" She bit her lip and then continued, "About that night...the night that Chris…"

Luke let out a breath and began to rub her sides soothingly, "You haven't had dreams about that in years...have you?"

She shook her head, "No. I haven't...I think that's why it through me for a loop."

He nodded, understanding what she meant, "Do you think you should go talk to your counselor again?"

After Lorelai had given birth to Jack, she had become very afraid of anyone and anything hurting him or anyone in their family. At first it was manageable. And then it got to a point where she was unwilling to leave the house with Jack. With Luke by her side she had agreed to go talk to someone about the issue and soon realized she had a lot of unresolved pain and fear from her traumatic encounter with Chris.

After about a year, Lorelai stopped going to see someone. With Luke's urging, she had continued again after Elise was born just to make sure everything was settled and she had for a few months until they settled into a comfortable routine.

Lorelai shrugged, "I don't know...I mean I think I'm fine. It was strange...but it felt so real."

"I wish you had woken me up." Luke said sadly, "You know I'd help...it was only a dream though. That was a long time ago...we have a great life now."

She smiled and wrapped her arms around him, "Yes we do. And I know...I'm okay. I promise. Just wasn't expecting it."

Luke leaned his forehead against hers, "You know I will never let him hurt you again."

Lorelai closed her eyes and breathed him in, "I know babe. I know."

He cupped her face in his hands and kissed her softly on the lips, "You sure you don't want to come with us to the airport?"

Lorelai sighed, "Wish I could. But I need to get to the Inn for a few hours. Since I'm taking the time off this week while April is here I want to make sure I get everything squared away there."

Luke nodded, "Okay...but you'll call me if you need me, right?"

She smiled and leaned forward to kiss him again, "Right." She turned back to Elise, "I gotta get this little one over to Babette's. And you need to get on the road. If you are late Jack will never forgive you. You know how serious he takes his April and Rory time. Every second counts."

Luke smiled as he watched her pick up their daughter, "He's already sitting on the couch waiting. He won't stop bouncing up and down."

Lorelai smiled, "He is so like me in that way."

Luke rolled his eyes, "Don't I know it."

She bounced Elise up and down slightly as she smirked up at him, "You know I'm going to get it out of him at some point...there are no surprises in this house."

Luke smirked back, "How do you know that what he saw wasn't just a diversion present?"

"A diversion present?" Lorelai said with a gasp, "You don't trust your son!"

Luke laughed and shook his head, "No. I don't. Which is why I planted that gift for him to find and the real thing is hidden somewhere you will never find it."

"Wow. I am seriously offended for Jack right now. I'm feeding him nothing but lucky charms on the days you have him. That'll teach you a thing or two." She said poking his chest.

Luke laughed as he leaned into kiss her, "Goodbye crazy lady." He leaned over and kissed Elise, "Goodbye little one."

"Bye Da!" Elise said waving a gentle hand at him.

"Drive safe!" She called and he winked at her, "Oh and bring me back some Boston Cream donuts from that place in Boston I like!"

"No." Luke called as he ran down the hallway, "I'm not waiting in that line."

"Ugh...you're so not getting lucky tonight mean man!" Lorelai called back to him.

"We'll see about that…" Luke called back, "Goodbye!"

Lorelai smiled and nuzzled Elise's nose and whispered, "You're Daddy is the best."

"Goo Da!" Elise squealed in her Mother's arm.

Lorelai laughed and kissed her cheek, "That's right baby. Goo Da!"

Lorelai gathered all of Elise's things and her own bag. She made sure that Paul Anka had enough food and water and then went to the car to strap Elise in. She drove off to Babette's and walked up the front steps, the door opened before she even knocked.

"Where's that little princess?" Babette called as she greeted them, "Come over here doll face!"

Lorelai smiled and handed Elise over to Babette, "Thanks again for watching her Babette."

"Oh you know I love spending time with this little peanut! I can't believe how fast she is growing." Babette said giving Elise a kiss on the cheek.

Lorelai smiled, "I know! It's crazy."

"Is Luke on his way to get April?" Babette asked as she rocked her back and forth.

"Yes. Jack is with him. April will be here all week. I'm really looking forward to it. April will be heading to college this year which is crazy. It will be nice to spend some time with her before she heads off. We may not see her again until Christmas." Lorelai said with a frown.

"Is she getting excited for school?" Babette asked.

"I think so. Probably a little nervous too. But she's so smart...she's going to do great." Lorelai said with a smile.

"Well good." Babette said, "You get to work. Me and this little one will be just fine, won't we sugah?"

"Baba!" Elise yelled, "Mowey!"

Lorelai smiled and leaned forward to kiss Elise's cheek, "You be a good girl. Mommy will be back in a few hours to get you. Call if you need anything! Thanks so much Babette!"

"Anytime!" She lifted Elise's hand, "Wave goodbye to Mommy!"

Lorelai smiled and gave a small wave at her daughter and friend before walking back to the car. She got in and started to pull out of the driveway. As she pulled out in front of her old home, she slowed down the car and glanced out the window. That house held so many amazing memories for her. It was her first real home with Rory and would always be special to her.

But it was also the place where one of the hardest and scariest moments of her life had taken place. The moment Chris hit her, something in that house changed for her. She knew that no matter what she couldn't' stay there. Luke had built her her dream home which she now lived in with him and her children, and she planned on living their for the rest of her life. But something would always draw her back to this place.

With a heavy sigh, she drove past the house and to the Dragonfly. She spent the next few hours keeping busy at work not wanting to dwell too much on her dream and the thoughts threatening to creep up in her mind. By four, she knew that Luke Jack and April would be home shortly so she wrapped up at work, checked in with Sookie and Michel and then made her way back to Babette's. She picked up Elise, said her thank you's to Babette and Morey and headed home to prepare for the arrival of the rest of her family.

She was up in April's room while Elise took a short nap making sure that everything was in order when her cell phone rang. She looked at the caller ID and saw that it was her father. "Hey Dad. What's up?"

"Lorelai, hello. Are you home by any chance?" He asked her.

"I am. Luke is on his way home from the airport with Jack. They were picking up April. She is staying with us for the week." Lorelai said.

'Oh that's right. I forgot she was coming this week. I don't want to intrude...but there is something I wanted to talk to you about. And I'd rather do it in person. I went by the Inn but Michel said you had already left." Richard said.

"Well I'm home. Come on over. I'm sure Jack and April would be happy to see you." She said.

"Well good. I am pulling into the driveway now. See you in a moment." Richard said as he hung up.

Lorelai looked at the window and saw her Dad pulling into the driveway. She walked out of April's room and down the stairs to the foyer. She was just opening the door as Richard walked up the porch steps.

"Hey." Lorelai said leaning up to hug him, "Come on in."

Richard smiled and stepped into the house, "Where is my granddaughter?"

"She fell asleep on the way home. I figured she'd be up late tonight so I'm letting her nap a little. You're welcome to stay for dinner with us if you want." She said with a smile.

"Thank you...I'll think about it." He nervously rubbed his hands together and stared at he for a moment, "Can we go into the living room?"

Lorelai swallowed hard, she could tell something was wrong. "Okay. Can I get you a drink or anything?"

Richard shook his head, "No thank you. I'm fine."

Lorelai nodded and led him towards the living room, she waited until he sat down and she sat down across from him. "So...what's going on?"

Richard took a deep breath, "I got a call this morning...from your lawyer."

"From my lawyer?" Lorelai asked curiously, "You mean…"

He nodded, "The one that handled the case with Christopher."

Lorelai felt her heart start to pound in her chest, "Oh…"

"Lorelai he is being released due to good behavior...he gets out next week. You'll be getting a letter in the mail soon. But I wanted you to hear it from me first." He said quickly.

Lorelai felt the tears burning in her eyes and she tried to remember to breath, "Wow. Um...okay. I mean I knew that this would happen eventually. It's not the type of offense that would warrant a life time in jail. Um...so what do we do now?"

"Well I am having the team draft up a new and more effective restraining order. I don't want him coming anywhere near you or Rory." Richard said.

Lorelai nodded, "Okay…"

Richard stared at his daughter for a moment and tried to read her expression, he knew this wasn't going to be easy for her. "What are you thinking?"

Lorelai sighed and pushed some hair behind her ear, "I had a dream about it this morning...I didn't know why. I haven't had bad dreams about it in years…"

Richard frowned, "I know this is hard…"

Lorelai rested her elbows on her knees, "I don't know…"

"He will not hurt you again." Richard said more firmly.

Lorelai smiled sadly at the tears welled up in her eyes, "You sound like Luke…"

Richard smiled, "Well he is just as protective as I am. We will do everything we can to keep you safe."

Lorelai nodded, "I know Dad…"

Richard opened his mouth to say something but the door opened quickly, "Mommy! April is here! April is here!"

Lorelai wiped at her eyes and stood up quickly, "She is!"

April and Luke walked into the living room behind Jack and April ran to Lorelai, "Lorelai! It's so good to see you."

Lorelai wrapped her arms around her step-daughter and hugged her tightly, "Look at you beautiful girl. Stop growing!"

Luke glanced at his wife and saw her eyes were red, then he turned and saw Richard sitting on the couch, "Richard...were we expecting you?"

Richard stood up and smiled at Luke trying to look calm, "Oh no. I just decided to stop in."

Luke nodded slowly, "Oh. Well that's great. Do you want to stay for dinner?"

Richard looked over at Lorelai, "Lorelai?"

She swallowed hard and glanced at April for a moment, "Hey Jack...you wanna take April up and show her the new shelves you and Daddy built for her?"

Jack jumped up and down, "Yeah! Come on April!" He pulled at his sister's hand and began to drag her towards the stairs.

April glanced at her father who just gave her a tight smile to assure her that everything would be fine. When he knew they were safely upstairs away from the living room, Luke looked over at his wife and his Father-In-Law.

"What's going on?" Luke asked as he stepped closer to Lorelai.

Lorelai sighed, "Turns out that dream of mine was a bit of an omen…"

Luke frowned, "What do you mean?"

"Christopher is being released next week." Richard answered quickly, "I got the call this morning."

Luke took a deep breath and felt his heart pounding in his chest, "Already?"

Lorelai sighed and crossed her arms over her chest, "It's been almost six years...I suppose it's about time. We knew he wouldn't be away forever."

"He should be." Luke said angrily, "He had no right to do what he did. We should fight this. There has to be something we can do."

"Luke…" Lorelai said swallowing hard as she tried to keep the tears in, "It is what it is…"

"That's not good enough!" Luke said shaking head, "I don't want him anywhere near you."

"I am going to have a new restraining order drafted. We will add Rory's name and the rest of the kids if you would like. We will make sure everything is iron clad as soon as possible." Richard said.

Luke scoffed, "I don't like this. That bastard deserves to rot for what he did!"

"I agree with you completely. And if I had it my way he would. But unfortunately that's not the way the justice system works Luke." Richard said sadly.

Luke sighed and stepped closer to Lorelai, he took her hand in his. "I swear on my life that nothing is going to happen to you. Okay? I'll kill him before he causes you anymore pain."

She tried to smile at him as she placed a hand on his cheek, "Babe I know...but I don't want you to do anything stupid. I need you here...the kids need you."

Luke nodded, "I know. But…"

Lorelai shook her head, "No. No but's Luke. I need you to promise me you won't do anything stupid. I love you so much for wanting to protect me...but you need to stay away from him."

Luke was quiet for a moment as he thought about what she said, "Lorelai…"

"Luke she's right. As much as I'd like to go and ring his neck...going after him is not going to do any good for anyone. We need to trust that the police and the restraining order will keep us all safe." Richard said.

Luke sighed and pulled Lorelai into his arms, "I won't do anything…"

"Promise me." Lorelai whispered into his neck, "Please Luke…"

He closed his eyes tight and nodded, "I promise."

She let out a gentle breath and nodded against him, "Thank you."

He kissed the side of her head and rubbed her back, "I love you."

"I love you too." She sniffled as she pulled away slowly and wiped at her eyes, "God...okay. I'm not going to do this right now. I don't want to ruin April's visit."

Luke nodded, "She's going to want to know what's going on. And Rory will be here tomorrow...we have to do tell her."

Lorelai nodded, "I know...but what about Jack? He's going to have questions...he already asks about Christopher sometimes."

Luke sighed, "I don't know...I've never really figured out how to explain it all to him. He's too young. I don't want to scare him."

"I don't think we have to tell him much." Richard said, "If you want, Emily and I can take Jack and Elise for the day at some point so you can all discuss it."

"Maybe." Lorelai said with a sigh, "Does Mom know?"

Richard nodded, "Yes. And she's not happy. She's at home looking in every legal book I have. She's determined to find a loophole to all of this."

Lorelai smiled, "Well tell her thank you for me…"

Richard nodded, "I will. I appreciate your invite for dinner. But I think I am going to head home and make some phone calls. I want to make sure this restraining order gets made as soon as possible. I really just dropped by so we could have this conversation in person."

Lorelai nodded, "Well thank you Dad." She leaned over and hugged him tightly, "Thank you for everything."

He hugged her tightly, "Everything will be alright. I'll make sure of it."

Lorelai smiled as she pulled away, "I know you will."

Richard smiled and reached out for Luke's hand, "Call me if you have any questions and concerns. I'll make sure you know any new information as soon as I hear it."

"Thank you Richard." Luke said shaking his hand, "We appreciate it."

He nodded, "I'll see myself out. Give Elise a kiss for me and we'll see you soon." He gave them a wave and then walked out of the house and to his car.

Lorelai waited until she heard his car pull away before turning back to her husband. She saw that his jaw was tense and she could see the veins in his neck popping out. She sighed and walked back up to him, she placed a soothing hand on his chest. "Breath…" She whispered.

"I hate him. I fucking hate him." Luke said through gritted teeth, "For all these years I've tried to ignore it all...put it behind us." He sighed, "But I can't...I can't Lorelai…"

She swallowed hard, "You made me a promise Luke. You can't go after him. I need you right here with me. And if you do...you'll get in trouble and I can't handle that." She felt the sob grow in her throat as her hands began to tremble, "Please…"

Luke sighed and pulled her into him again, "Hey…"

"Please don't leave me…" She said hugging him tighter, "Please Luke.."

"I'm sorry…" He whispered into her hair, "I don't want to upset you...I just…"

She nodded against him, "I know Luke. I know. But...you can't do anything about it."

He sighed and closed his eyes tightly, "I know you're right...but it's hard."

She pulled away to look at him, "We will figure it out..just like we always do. Right?"

Luke nodded slowly trying to look confident, "Right…"

"Look...April is only here for the week. And we have time to figure this out. Let's try and enjoy our time with her...Rory will be here tomorrow. We'll tell them together and then just...see what happens." She said swallowing nervously.

He lifted a hand and stroked her cheek gently, after all this time the image of her bruised and broken face still haunted him from time to time. "Lorelai…"

She smiled and leaned against his touch, "It's okay...I'm okay."

He let out a shaky breath and nodded slowly and leaned forward to kiss her, "I love you."

She rested her forehead against his and smiled at him, "I kind of had a feeling…"

He couldn't help but laugh, "Lorelai…"

She smiled and nuzzled his nose gently, "I love you too."

"Mommy! Elise is up and she stinks!" Jack called from upstairs.

Lorelai laughed as she pulled away, "At least we have plenty of little one's to distract us…"

Luke laughed, "I'll take care of Elise. You go make sure that Jack hasn't completely exhausted April yet."

Lorelai smiled and walked towards the stairs, but Luke grabbed her hand as she stepped on the first step. "What?" She asked softly.

"Everything is going to be okay." He whispered to her, and she wasn't sure if he was trying to convince her or himself.

She smiled and swallowed the tears threatening to bubble up again, "I know."

He nodded once, lifted her hand to his lips to give it a gentle kiss and then let her walk up the stairs. He took a moment to compose himself before walking up the steps. He knew he had made a promise to Lorelai...but something in the back of his mind made him think that for once he wasn't sure he could keep his word. 

* * *

**I have it all planned out after this so I will try to write when I can. Hope you are interested still! :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys! I am glad to see people are still interested in a sequel! Here is the next chapter. I will update again as soon as possible :)**

* * *

The following morning, Lorelai woke up after having another terrible dream about Christopher. Her eyes popped open and she had to take several moments to compose herself before going back to reality. She rolled over in bed and smiled when she saw that her son Jack had somehow crawled into bed during the middle of the night. He was currently draped over Luke and both of them were snoring softly. She smiled, leaned forward and kissed both of their heads before getting out of bed and going to check on Elise.

She wasn't surprised to see the usual perky baby still fast asleep. The night before they had all stayed up later than usual to get as much April time in as possible. Despite the idea of Christopher being released from prison lingering over their heads, Luke and Lorelai had put on their best faces to make April's visit happy. But April being April was very aware that something was going on. However, she was smart enough to know that she couldn't bring it up in front of Jack.

After getting everyone to bed, Luke and Lorelai had gone to bed together and Luke had held her while she cried. Neither of them were sure what to think about the situation. They had come so far since those days, but it felt like all that pain was coming to the surface again. As exhausted as Lorelai was, she knew that there was no way she was going to get anymore sleep. She went to the kitchen, brewed a pot of coffee. She poured herself a cup, walked out to the porch and sat down in the swing that Luke had put in for her after Jack was born.

She curled up and took a sip of her coffee as she looked over the lake and tried to remind herself that her life was so much better now. Sometimes it was hard to believe that she and Luke had overcome so much. After their disastrous breakup and her sham of a marriage to Christopher, she never dreamed he would have forgiven her. But as soon as Christopher had attacked her, Luke had rushed to her side and proved once again that he was the only man she would ever need or love.

She sighed and placed her coffee on the little table beside her as she pulled her legs up under her chin. She turned her head slightly when she heard the front door opened and smiled when she saw her step-daughter walking out with her own coffee.

"You drink coffee now? Don't let your Dad see." Lorelai said with a laugh as April sat beside her.

"I'll try and drink it fast." April said with a smile as she turned towards her step-mother. "You're up early…"

Lorelai tried to smile, "Couldn't sleep."

April took a sip of her coffee and nodded slowly, "Does this have something to do with your Dad visiting yesterday?"

Lorelai sighed, "April…"

"Look...whatever it is you can tell me. Is he sick? Are you sick?" April asked with a nervous voice, "I'd rather you guys be honest with me…"

Lorelai shook her head, "It's...complicated."

"Most difficult things in life are." April said with a smirk, "I'm not a little kid anymore. I can handle it."

Lorelai opened her mouth to speak just as the door opened again, "Hey…" Luke called as he walked out onto the porch, "Having a party out here?"

April smiled, "Hey Dad...I was just trying to get Lorelai to tell me what's going on. I know something is wrong…"

Luke sighed and leaned against the railing as he stared at his wife and daughter, "Oh…"

April rolled her eyes, "Dad...you guys need to tell me."

Lorelai sighed and leaned her elbows on her knees, "She's going to find out…"

"I thought we agreed to wait until Rory was home…" Luke said nervously wanting to delay the process as long as possible.

April smirked, "Well lucky for us...she's here." She said pointing to the driveway.

Luke turned and saw Rory getting out of the car with a large smile on her face. It broke his heart that they were going to have to tell her something to bring up the painful past. He knew that Rory had always had a difficult relationship with her father. But once he laid his hands on Lorelai, Rory made a decision to cut him from her life forever. In fact anytime someone brought him off she shut them down completely.

"Hey!" Rory said climbing the porch steps, "I was so bummed I couldn't come last night so I woke up extra early to get here." She paused when she saw the looks on everyone's faces, "What's wrong?"

Lorelai swallowed hard, "Come sit hon…"

Rory looked at Luke and he only gave her a gentle smile and nodded towards her mother. Rory took a deep breath walked slowly to the swing and sat between her mother and April. This wasn't how she had expected her arrival home would go. Her heart was pounding as she waited for someone to speak.

Lorelai looked up at Luke, she wasn't sure how to start the conversation. They all sat in silence for a moment before Luke took the initiative and decided to speak for Lorelai. He cleared his throat as he crossed his arms over his chest and began to talk, "Richard came by yesterday...he got a call to tell him that your Dad was going to be released from prison next week…"

Lorelai heard Rory's sharp intake of breath and she instinctively reached for her hand, "Rory…"

"No." Rory said shaking her head, "He can't be. It's too soon. Why would they let him out?"

"What does that mean for you?" April asked nervously, "Can he come near you again?"

Luke shook his head, "No. We are going to make sure that there is a new restraining order put in place. And I think we're going to try and put all you kids on it. As far as I am concerned he has no reason to come near anyone in this family. I don't want you girls to worry…"

Rory turned to her Mom, "I want to go see him...tell the court I don't think he should be released. Maybe it will make a difference. Maybe they will keep him in there."

"Rory…" Lorelai said squeezing her hand gently, "We knew that this wasn't the type of offense that would keep him locked away forever. Whether he gets out next week or next year...it is something we are going to have to deal with."

Rory shook her head and turned back to Luke, "How can you just be okay with this? How can you let this happen?"

Luke sighed, "You know that if I had it my way he'd be locked up forever. But I don't have that kind of power Rory. Your Mom is right...it's going to happen at some point. I'm not happy about it...in fact I'm livid."

"Luke…" Lorelai whispered as she gave him a warning look.

He glanced at his wife, "I promised your Mom that I wouldn't do anything to get myself in trouble. But you know that I will do whatever it takes to keep her and all of my kids safe. That includes you and you know it." Luke said staring directly at Rory.

Rory's eyes welled up with tears, "I don't trust him…"

Lorelai swallowed hard and put her arm around her daughter, "I'd like to think that he has had all this time to think about what he did. I'm sure he just wants to get on with his life. He has Gigi and-"

"Don't say me. Because he does not have me." Rory said shaking her head adamantly, "I am not his daughter. He is not my father. Luke is my father."

"Rory…" Luke whispered softly, he hated to see her in this much pain.

"No!" Rory said as the tears started to fall, "I don't want him in my life! I don't want him out! I wish he was dead!"

Lorelai pulled Rory into her arms and held her tight, "Hey...shhhh…" She said as she rubbed her back, "Everything is going to be okay...I promise."

"I hate him." Rory said crying into her mother's shoulder, "I hate what he did to you. I want him gone."

"It's okay…" Lorelai whispered as she swallowed hard and tried to keep her tears again, "I promise everything will be okay."

Luke glanced at April who had tears in her own eyes, he reached for her and pulled him up to hug her tight. "Nothing is going to happen to anyone, okay? We're going to figure this all out no matter what it takes."

"What are you going to tell Jack?" April asked softly, "He's going to have questions...he already does. He asks why Rory and I have different parents…"

"We haven't figured that out yet…" Luke said rubbing her back softly, "It's complicated because he is so young."

Rory lifted her head slowly, "How are you really feeling about this Mom?"

Lorelai smiled sadly and pushed hair out of Rory's face, "I mean...it brings up a lot of bad memories. But...I'm trying to be positive about it. I made a choice to not let him ruin my life. So much has happened in the last five years...I refuse to let him get the best of me."

Rory sighed and wiped at her eyes, "I just...I still can't believe he did what he did. Dad was always a mess...but that was…"

"I know." Lorelai said giving her shoulder a squeeze, "But...honey I don't want you to work yourself up over this. Grandpa knows who to call to deal with all this. We will put the restraining order in effect and we just have to keep living our lives."

Rory looked over at Luke, "I'm scared…"

He nodded, "I know...but your Mom is right. We can't let it take over our lives. If we do...then he wins. And I refuse to let him have that kind of power."

Rory nodded slowly, "I still want to go face him in court…"

Lorelai grimaced, "Rory no…"

Rory turned back to her Mother, "I'll go with Grandpa. I want to see his face. I want to hear what he has to say."

"We don't have to decide all this now…" Lorelai said knowing that right now she wasn't going to be able to get through to her daughter, "Let's just...enjoy the time we have together okay? We can go out on the boat...April will be leaving for school soon. Jack is so excited you are both here. We can't spend our time worrying…"

"Speaking of Jack…" April whispered as she nodded her head towards the door.

"Momma?" A bleary eyed Jack called from the door as he stumbled out of the door, "You're bed is really comfty."

Lorelai smiled and picked up Jack to sit on her lap, "More than your bed?"

He nodded and rested his head against her shoulder, "Mhm…"

Lorelai closed her eyes and held him close, "Did you see that Rory is home?"

Jack turned his head and finally registered the presence of his oldest sister, "Rory…" He reached his arms out and she scooped him up, "I miss you."

Rory swallowed hard and hugged him close too, "Hey Jack Jack, I've missed you too. But now we have a whole week together. It's going to be great."

Jack yawned and looked over at his Dad, "Daddy can we go out on the boat?"

Luke smiled, "Sure bud. We were just talking about that actually."

Jack yawned again and put his head back on Rory's shoulder, "Why were you talking about your Dad? Is he finally going to visit?"

Rory tensed and her eyes quickly found her mother who immediately looked at Luke for guidance. Luke rubbed the back of his neck nervously and then took Jack from Rory's arm, he placed him on the railing and tried to smile at him.

"So bud...you know that Rory has a different Dad right?" Luke asked, he could feel the silence behind him from the three girls staring at him waiting to see what he was going to say.

Jack nodded, "Mhm. Rory has a different Daddy and April's Mommy is Anna. I know Anna but I've never met Rory's Daddy...what's his name?"

Luke grimaced slightly as he had to say his name, "His uh...his name is Christopher."

"Do I get to meet him now?" Jack asked as he swung his legs back and forth.

Luke glanced back at Lorelai who looked frozen in her spot before he turned back to his son, "No. I don't think that you will be meeting him anytime soon. Rory's Dad…" His voice began to crack nervously and he shuffled in his spot, "Rory's Dad is very busy and so we won't see him."

Jack frowned and looked over his Dad's shoulder at Rory, "Doesn't that make you sad Rory?"

Rory choked back a sob and tried to shake her head, "No…"

Jack gave her a look that she had seen on Luke's face a million times and it warmed her heart, "But you're crying...and so is Mommy…"

Rory quickly stood up and stood beside her brother, "I know it's hard for you to understand buddy...but I don't have a great relationship with my real Dad. And it's okay...because I get to share your Dad, right?"

Jack smiled and nodded his head, "Uh huh."

Rory smiled at him and kissed his cheek, "I appreciate you sharing him. Because in my opinion he's the only Dad I will ever need."

"He is a good Daddy." Jack said with a big smile, "Even though he won't feed me cocoa puffs."

Everyone laughed and it felt good to break the tension, "You and those cocoa puffs…" Luke grumbled as he pulled him into his arms again, "You'd choose cocoa puffs over my cooking wouldn't you?"

Jack shrugged, "Maybe. But if you make the special Rory pancakes I'll forget about the cocoa puffs for today."

Luke smiled, "You want some special Rory pancakes? I guess it is tradition for when she comes home…"

"We can't break tradition…" Rory said with a smile, "And I did wake up extra early to come down here to see my family. It would only be fair for you to make them for all of us…"

Luke smiled and winked at Rory, "You got it kid." He kissed Jack's head and said, "You gonna help me bud?"

Jack nodded, "I need my hat!"

"Hat?" Rory asked looking at her Mom, "Does he have a chef's hat now?"

Lorelai smiled as she stood up, "Nope. I got him something even better." She took Jack from Luke's arms, "Let's go get you ready buddy and we'll get Miss Elise too."

"Don't start without me Daddy!" Jack called over Lorelai's shoulder as she walked to the front door.

"I wouldn't dream of it bud." He said with a smile as he gave him a slight wave, he waited until Lorelai had entered the house before turning back to Rory and putting an arm around her shoulders, "Are you okay?"

Rory sighed and leaned into him, "Just sad...and angry."

Luke nodded, "I know. But...your Mom is right we can't let him win Rory. If he thinks we've spent these last five years in fear he has all the power against us in this situation."

Rory nodded, "I know you're right...I just feel like I never got any closure with the situation. I really do want to go face him...will you talk to Mom about it?"

Luke sighed, "Rory I don't know...I don't like the idea of you being that close to him."

"Mom got to face him last time. She got to say everything she needed to say. That's why she's so much stronger than I am about this. I need to do this Luke...I need to look him in the eyes and ask him why. I need to tell him how I feel. It's the only way I'll ever really be able to move on…" Rory said desperately trying to get him to understand.

Luke closed his eyes for a moment, "We'll talk about it, okay? Let's take the next few days just to process all this before we make any big decisions. I'm not saying no...I know I can't forbid you to go. You're an adult and I'm not really your fat-"

"Yes you are." Rory said with a confident voice, "You always have been Luke…"

Luke swallowed hard and pulled her in for a tight hug, "I promise I won't let him hurt your Mom again. Or you."

Rory nodded as she leaned against his shoulder and smiled at April who was standing behind them giving her an encouraging smile. "I know…"

Luke pulled away and turned back to April, "How did you two get so old?"

"It's all a part of life." April said with a shrug, "But at least you still have two little rugrats to keep you on your toes."

Luke laughed and put his other arm around April, "All four of you keep me on your toes. And with Lorelai included that makes five…"

"Seems like just yesterday you were moving me into Yale for the first time." Rory said with a smile, "And now it's April's turn…"

Luke groaned, "You do realize that we didn't get rid of that damn mattress until a few years ago right? I can't bear to think what was living in it…"

Rory laughed, "Mom was afraid that putting it in the trash would alert Yale somehow!"

He rolled his eyes, "Yes I know. I heard all about it...she was convinced we were going to get fined thousands of dollars over it. And she said those thousands of dollars would be better spent on shoes for her."

"Man I love my Mom…" She said with a slight laugh feeling the tears growing again in her eyes.

Luke gave her a reassuring squeeze and nodded, "I know. And so do I...and everything is going to be just fine. I promise."

"I trust you." Rory said with a slight nod.

"I'm ready!" Jack yelled as he ran out the front door in a blue flannel shirt and blue baseball cap on backwards.

"Oh my God!" Rory said as she put a hand over her mouth, "Mini Luke!"

"There is no question that he is your son." April said as she laughed, "No need for a DNA test on that one."

Luke smiled, "Well good because my hair is thinning out. Don't need any crazy kids yanking anymore of it out of my head!"

"It was all in the name of science!" April said with a smirk.

Luke smiled and kissed her head, "And I'm damn glad you did it."

"Daddy said a bad word!" Jack said putting a hand over his mouth, "Mommy!"

Lorelai poked her head out of the door and smirked at her husband, "Bad Daddy!"

"Bad Da!" Elise chanted from her mother's arm, "Bad Da!"

Luke groaned, "Not again…"

Jack put his hands on his hips and glared at his Dad, "Only thing that can fix this is extra whipped cream on our Rory pancakes!"

Luke sighed and walked over to his son, he took the small hat balanced it on his own head and threw his son over his shoulder, "One large batch of Rory pancakes and extra whipped cream coming right up."

"Good Daddy!" Jack laughed as he dangled behind his father's back.

"Goo Da!" Elise chanted as Lorelai and her watched them go.

"Very Goo Da!" Lorelai said giving her daughter a kiss on her cheek, she turned to her other two daughters and smiled, "Come on...I bet we can get him to throw in some extra chocolate chips too if all four of us do the pout."

Rory smiled, "The power of the pout...poor Luke never stood a chance."

"No he did not." Lorelai said with a twinkling in her eye, "How do you think I got him to agree to marry me?"

April smirked, "There was no pout needed in that...he's always loved you."

Lorelai beamed at her, "Thank God for that…" She waved her hand, "Now come on! We got Rory pancakes to devour!"

* * *

They had spent all day as a family, pancakes were made and eaten quickly. They sat out by the lake and Jack showed off how much he had improved with his swimming lessons. They had had a picnic dinner as the sun set over the water and everything felt perfect. But for the older members of the family, the worry of Chris being released still lingered in the back of their minds.

April helped Jack catch fireflies in jars with holes in the top of the lid. And Elise snoozed in Luke's arms as he sat beside Lorelai and Rory watching the scene in front of them. Rory glanced over at her Mom and took a deep breath before starting the conversation again.

"I really feel like I have to go see him." Rory said quickly, "I know you don't want me too. But I need the closure…"

Lorelai sighed and turned towards her eldest daughter, "Rory we haven't seen or heard from your father in five years. I just...I'm not sure if it's the best idea."

"He's written me letters…" Rory whispered softly.

Luke's head snapped up and he glanced at her quickly, "He did?"

Rory sighed and looked out over the water, "He's probably written over 50 of them. But I have thrown each and everyone of them away without reading."

"Oh Rory…" Lorelai said wrapping an arm around her shoulders, "You could have read them…"

Rory shook her head, "I wasn't ready. I figured they were just full of all his usual BS. How sorry he was...how much he wanted to make it up to me and you. He's had the same story line since I was a kid Mom. And back then it worked...but not with this. This is bigger than blowing me off for a weekend visit."

Lorelai nodded slowly, "I know...but he's always going to be your father." Rory opened her mouth to protest and Lorelai cut her off, "Biologically whether you want to admit it or not he is your father."

"Which is why I think I need to see him face to face. I want to know how he could have done something like this...why he did it. And being angry isn't a good enough excuse." Rory sighed sadly, "I've had a lot of time to think about this over the last five years...I need to understand how he made these choices. If I'm ever going to make peace with it...I need to hear it from his mouth. And I need to tell him how I feel too…"

Lorelai swallowed hard and glanced at her husband, "What do you think?"

Luke rocked Elise back and forth and shrugged, "I don't necessarily like it but...I understand it. You did the same thing before the trial...you wanted to see him and you went even though I asked you not too. Maybe it will be good for Rory like it was good for you."

Lorelai sighed and turned back to her daughter, "Do you want me to come with you?"

Rory shook her head adamantly, "No. I don't want him to have the satisfaction of seeing your face. This is something I need to do on my own...but I'll have Grandpa. We'll be fine."

Lorelai was quiet for a moment before she pulled her into her arms, "Just...be careful. Okay? I really want to believe that he has changed but...I never thought he could have done what he did in the first place. Just be smart about it…"

"I will." Rory said holding her tight, "After this we never have to think about him again as far as I'm concerned."

Lorelai smiled and pulled away, "I hope you are right about that…"

"You have a great life Mom…" She said giving her a nudge, "This right here is all you need...he didn't break you and he never will."

Lorelai swallowed hard and nodded slowly, "You're right."

"Of course I'm right." Rory said with a wink, "I'm always right."

Lorelai laughed, "You're so much like me it's scary sometimes…" She turned back to Luke, "I don't know how you have put up with us for all these years."

"Lots and lots of patience." He said with a smirk, "But I do deserve a medal for it."

Lorelai rolled his eyes, "Please...you'd be totally and completely lost without us in your life."

Luke smiled at her and gave her an affectionate wink, "Of course I would."

"Mommy look!" Jack yelled as he ran to the blanket they were all sitting on, "Look at how they glow! It's so cool! I wish I glowed like that!"

Lorelai smiled and pulled her son onto her lap, he rested his back against her chest as he held out the jar in front of him, "Wow you guys got a lot of them!"

"April said that in New Mexico they believe that fireflies are meant to guide you home. She says their good luck." He said staring mesmerized at the jar.

April smiled and sat next to Rory, "I like that…" Rory said glancing down at the jar.

"Mommy can I keep the fireflies as pets?" Jack as he glanced behind him to look at her.

Lorelai smiled sadly at him, "Sadly no bud...fireflies aren't meant to live in a jar. They are meant to be outside and free. Besides...I think Paul Anka would be a little jealous if you got a new pet."

Jack sighed and turned back to the jar, "Paul Anka will always be my best friend...but these guys are cool too."

Lorelai kissed the top of his head, "They are pretty cool kiddo…"

"Should I let them go?" Jack asked looking over at his Dad.

Luke smiled at his son, "I think they'd like that...they can go home to their families too."

Jack smiled and scrambled off his Mom's lap and went to the edge of the lake before he slowly opened the lid on the jar, "Bye bye fireflies!"

Lorelai and Luke beamed at their son as he giggled and spun around in the light of the fireflies as they flew around his head. Lorelai rested her head on her husband's shoulder and said a prayer for whatever light had guided her to this very moment. Despite the pain and fear of Christopher, she was exactly where she was supposed to be with her little family. And she could not have been more grateful for that…

* * *

After Elise was put to sleep, Jack was read five stories by his sisters and finally coaxed into bed. April and Rory went to their room which they were sharing while everyone was home. Luke pulled his wife towards their bedroom and wrapped an arm around her shoulder before placing a gentle kiss on her head.

"How are you doing?" Luke asked as they stepped into their room.

Lorelai sighed and sat on the edge of her bed as she pulled off her shoes, "I'm okay...still don't really like the idea of Rory seeing Christopher but I can't stop her."

Luke nodded as he pulled off his flannel, "I know...it will be hard but we have to trust her on this. She's struggled a lot with the whole situation. She never lets anyone even say his name...I think maybe she's right. Maybe she needs the closure."

Lorelai nodded as she started to unbutton her shirt, "Yeah maybe. But I'm probably going to have a heart attack while I wait for her to come home…"

Luke smiled and pulled his t-shirt up over his head and threw it into the hamper, "That's how I felt when you went to see him in jail before the trial...I thought my head was going to explode."

Lorelai smiled up at him as she slid her shirt off leaving her in her bra and shorts, "That was the day that you proposed…"

Luke smiled and knelt down on the floor in front of her, "Yes it was. As soon as you walked back into the Diner...I knew I couldn't wait another minute. I needed you to be mine."

Lorelai breathed in his familiar scent as she wrapped her arms around his shoulders, "I've always been yours Luke...always."

He leaned his forehead against hers, "Lorelai...you mean everything to me. I hate thinking about what he did to you...about why you were in that situation in the first place. If I hadn't-"

"Don't." Lorelai said reaching up to cup his face, "Don't do that. We both made mistakes that lead us to there...no one ever expects to be in that kind of situation. But it happened. It is what it is but we have come so far since then babe. You have given me a life better than I could have ever imagined. Please don't dwell on it...you saved me from all that. You always save me."

He felt tears burning in his own eyes, "I will always save you."

She smiled and leaned forward to kiss his lips gently, "I know. Which is one of the millions of reasons why I love you. Why I feel so lucky to be your wife."

Luke lifted a hand and pushed away a lock of her dark curls, "Almost six been six years…"

She smiled at him, "Hard to believe…"

"I will never forget how beautiful you looked in your dress. I remember thinking it was a dream...it didn't feel real." Luke said swallowing hard as his voice filled with raw emotion.

"But lucky for us it was real…" She said smiling as she caressed his face gently, "I am your wife. You are my husband and we have four amazing children together...this is our life Luke. Our life."

"It's a pretty good life." He said with a smile as he reached behind her and unclasped her bra, "A damn good life…"

She sighed happily as his lips found the sensitive spot under her ear, "You'll hear no complaints from me...I couldn't be happier if I tried."

Luke pulled back and gave her a slight smirk, "You sure?"

She giggled, "Well I have a feeling I'm going to be even happier in a few minutes…" She kissed him softly, "But no Luke...I have everything I need. You have given me everything I have ever wanted."

"Good." Luke said as he began to push her back on the bed with a devilish smirk, "But let me see if I can boost that happiness just a bit more tonight…"

Lorelai smiled as he began to pull at the button her shorts, "Luke…"

He pulled her zipper down before looking back up at her, "Yeah?"

"I love you." She whispered as tears sparkled in her eyes, "So much…"

He took a deep breath, moved up her body and lay over her to kiss her passionately, "I love you too Lorelai...and I always will."

Lorelai pulled him close and pushed all thoughts of Christopher Hayden out of her mind. All that mattered in this moment was this man who had loved her more than any other human being. He had supported her through every misstep and she had faith that no matter what happened he would be the one to hold her up no matter what. This was all she needed to get by… 

* * *

Back at the Gilmore residence, Emily woke up late in the night and discovered that her husband was not in bed. She sighed, slipped out of bed and made her way downstairs and straight for his study where she was sure she would find him. Sure enough she saw him sitting behind his desk furiously taking notes in one of his large journals.

"Richard it's two in the morning. You need to come to bed." She said as she leaned against the door frame.

Richard looked up and barely registered the presence of his wife, "I will when I am finished here."

She sighed and walked further into the office. She glanced over his shoulder and saw notes on restraining orders, laws about children and their parents who had been incarcerated and more. She put a hand on his shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze, "You are becoming obsessed...we are meeting with the lawyers tomorrow and they will know what to do."

"I just want to make sure that I have all the information I need." Richard said as he flipped the page in and began to write more. "I want to make sure that there are no loopholes here for that coward Christopher to crawl through…"

"Richard…" Emily said reaching over and taking his pen,

"Hey! I'm not finished." He said staring up at her with wide bloodshot eyes.

"You are going to make yourself sick. You need to rest." Emily said as she swallowed the lump in her own throat, "You will be no use to Lorelai if you are too tired to help her through this process."

Richard scoffed and slammed his hand on his desk, "I wasn't of any use to her when that man dared to put his hands on her!"

"Richard…" Emily said softly as she tried to comfort him. "Don't do this…"

"I am her father!" Richard said putting a hand over his chest, "I should have been able to protect her from this. But I didn't! And I'll be damned if that man does another thing to cause her pain."

"No one could have predicted this…" Emily said trying to get him to understand, "I feel just as much guilt as you do...we pushed her to be with him. But we have known him practically his whole life. How could we have guessed that he would grow up into such a monster?"

Richard swallowed hard, "I have missed so many opportunities in Lorelai's life to truly be there as the father she deserves. And I'm not getting any younger Emily…"

"Richard don't…" Emily said giving his shoulder another squeeze, "Don't talk like that."

"I hate that at some point I won't be around to make sure that she will be safe. I hate that Christopher will be out in the world again and at some point I'll be gone…" He said as his voice cracked. "I'd kill him myself if I could."

"No you would not. You are not that type of man." Emily said, "We have to believe that the justice system will prevail...besides she has Luke to protect her too. You know he'd do anything for her."

Richard nodded, "How we ever thought Christopher was better than him I will never understand."

"A lot has changed in the last six years…" Emily whispered, "We have changed. We have grown closer to Lorelai and Rory and despite the difficult circumstances I am glad for that."

Richard glanced up at his wife, "I just hate that she had to go through that…I hate that he put her through that. I still remember what she looked like after..."

"Me too…" Emily whispered softly, "I had never seen her look so broken...she has always been so strong and confident. But that day...seeing the mark on her face...it was too much."

Richard nodded, "I never want to see my daughter like that again…"

"And you won't." Emily said reassuringly, "We will make sure of that. But for now...you need to come to bed. You need your rest…"

Richard sighed and closed his notebook, "I suppose you are right."

"Come on...you look exhausted." Emily said helping him up out of his chair, "Everything is going to be alright…"

"Okay…" Richard said as he let her head him out of his office.

Emily glanced back at the desk and the books and papers that littered the top of it. She sighed sadly and shut the office door behind her and prayed that everything would work out for the best. She couldn't stand to see her daughter in anymore pain… 

* * *

**Feedback is always appreciated :) I will be writing the next chapter today or tomorrow. So keep an eye out for it :) :)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Glad to see you are all still interested! I will try and update soon! :)**

* * *

The following afternoon, they were all sitting on the porch eating lunch when Emily and Richard's car pulled up in the driveway. Lorelai glanced at her husband knowing that her father had met with the lawyers earlier. She felt her heart start to pound in her chest as she tried to remain positive about what her father was going to say.

"Grandma! Grandpa!" Jack yelled as he hopped down from April's lap and ran over to them.

"There's my handsome boy!" Emily said as she scooped him up, "You are getting so big! I don't know if I will be able to carry you around for much longer!"

"Daddy says if I keep eating my vegetables and not twinkies I'll be taller than Rory ever was!" Jack said with a smirk.

Rory rolled her eyes, "Nice Luke…"

He laughed, "Hey...whatever I can do to make my son steer away from that crap I'll do."

Richard smiled and stepped up on the porch as he reached for Elise, "There's my little princess." He said kissing her cheek.

"Gampa!" Elise yelled as she grabbed his cheeks, "Gampa!"

He laughed, "She really is the sweetest thing…"

Emily stepped up on the porch, "Remember you have two other beautiful granddaughters two Richard…"

Richard smile and handed Elise back to Luke as he opened his arms for April and Rory, "I haven't forgotten. It is wonderful to have you both home."

"Hi Grandpa." Rory said hugging him slightly, "It's good to be home."

"Are you getting excited for school?" Richard asked as he rubbed April's arm.

April smiled up at him, "Excited and a little nervous."

"You are going to love it." Richard said smiling, he glanced over at his daughter, "How are you holding up?"

Lorelai smiled at him, "I'm fine."

Richard nodded, "Good. Well...could I talk to you and Luke privately for a moment?" He turned back to Emily, "You want to take them all down to the lake?"

Rory crossed her arms over her chest, "I want to hear whatever to say too."

"Rory…" Richard said softly wanting nothing more than to protect the young girl.

Lorelai smiled and stood up as she put an arm around her eldest daughter's shoulder, "It's okay Dad. She should hear it too…"

April smiled and knew they needed this time, "Come on Jack...let's take Elise and Grandma to the little fort we were building."

Jack smiled, "Yeah! Come on Grandma!"

Emily smiled and took her grandson's hand and let him lead her down the path to the backyard. Lorelai and Rory sat down on the swing together as Richard sat in one of the wicker chairs and took out an envelope from his briefcase.

"As you know...I met with the lawyers today to discuss the new restraining order." He said taking the papers out of the envelope, "It went...relatively well."

Lorelai grimaced, "What does that mean?"

He sighed, "It means that if I had it my way he'd still be in prison."

Lorelai smiled, "Oh…"

"What are the current terms?" Luke asked curiously, "Can we put Rory on and the rest of the kids too?"

"Rory yes because of the altercation prior to Christopher's arrest." Richard said slowly, "Unfortunately...it may take more action to make sure the rest of the children are placed under the protection of it too. Considering he has had no contact with them the court won't think they are in any danger."

"I don't like that." Luke said quickly, "We don't know what he might do."

Richard nodded, "I agree. Which is why I am going to fight that and see if we can change it as quickly as possible. The children are of course with Lorelai or you the majority of the time so the court may say that keeps them safe."

"But Jack will be starting school soon." Lorelai said softly, "And April will be far away…"

"These are all things I am going to bring up in court tomorrow." Richard said giving her a nod, "I'm not going to let this go without a fight, I promise you that."

Rory interjected quickly, "I want to come with you tomorrow."

Richard opened his mouth to protest but Lorelai cut him off, "We have discussed this and agreed that Rory can go. She needs the closure from all of this. Plus maybe her presence will make the judge see that she doesn't want him around."

Richard sighed, "I suppose we can't keep you from going…"

Rory smiled at him, "I just really feel like I need to do this Grandpa."

He nodded slowly, "Fine. But you will stay with me the entire time, alright?"

"Of course." Rory said smiling softly at him.

"As of right now, Christopher cannot be within 300 yards of you Lorelai as well as your home, The Diner or the Dragonfly." He said glancing down at the paper in front of him, "That's about the size of a football field…"

"Too close." Luke said grumbling, "I don't even want him to be able to look at her."

"Luke…" Lorelai said reaching over to take his hand, "It's okay…"

Luke sighed and glanced at Richard, "What happens if...if makes any contact with her?"

"Even though Christopher is being released he is technically on probation. He is getting out a year earlier than initially expected due to good behavior." Richard said sadly.

Rory scoffed, "I'm sure he sucked up to everyone in prison…"

Richard smiled, "I don't doubt it. But if he does attempt to make contact...he will be violating his parole and would go back to prison. They would have a hearing as to how long he would have to go back for at that point."

Luke swallowed hard, "I want to go tomorrow too…"

"Luke no." Lorelai said standing up and putting a hand on his arm, "You are not going."

He squinted his eyes at her, "I want him to see me. I want him to know that I'm still here and I'm not going to let him hurt you again."

"You'll just provoke him...or he'll get you all riled up. You promised that wouldn't do anything to get yourself into trouble. I need you here babe...the kids need you. I love you for wanting to protect me but please...please just stay away from him." She said gripping his arms and trying to look at him with pleading eyes.

"Lorelai is right…" Richard said, "I understand why you want to go...but under the circumstances I think it would be best if you stay with her."

Luke sighed and leaned against the house, "Fine…"

"Luke…" Lorelai said grabbing his hand, "Look at me…"

He looked at her out of the corner of his eyes, "I just…"

"I know…" She whispered leaning forward to kiss him gently, "I know."

He nodded slowly and put an arm around her, "So...there's not much else we can do right now is there?"

"Unfortunately no. Because this was Christopher's first offense...they are probably going to be more lenient. All we can do right now is hope that 6 years in prison has changed him." Richard said sadly.

"That's not something I'm willing to bet on." Luke said with a grumble.

"I guess we wait and see…" Rory whispered, "I hope he's gotten it together…"

"Me too." Richard said nodding, "It would make it much easier for all of us if he did."

"Mommy!" Jack said running up to the deck covered in mud, "I fell in the mud and it was awesome!"

Everyone on the deck laughed and Lorelai smiled, "Did Grandma get muddy too?"

Emily walked around the corner and smiled, "Just my shoes. But I think I'll live."

Lorelai smirked, "My how things have changed." She stood up and took Jack's hand, "Come on you...let's go get you cleaned up. We'll be right back."

Everyone watched as she walked inside and Emily turned to Luke, "How is she doing?"

Luke shrugged, "She's nervous...but trying to stay positive."

Emily nodded, "She's strong...she'll be okay."

"We all will be." Rory said softly trying to sound confident.

"Would you guys like to stay for dinner tonight?" Luke asked trying to break the tension, "I know it would mean a lot to Lorelai to have you here."

"We'd love too." Richard said smiling.

Luke nodded and walked into the house to help Lorelai with Jack. That night the elder Gilmore and the Gilmore/Danes clan ate dinner all together. Sat by the fire outside and counted their blessing. Whatever happened tomorrow...they would face it together.

* * *

The following morning, Lorelai snuck out of bed early again and walked into the room that Rory and April were sharing. She smiled when she saw that Rory was wide awake and she quickly crawled into bed with her.

"Hey…" Lorelai whispered as she pulled her close, "You sleep at all?"

"A little…" Rory whispered as she turned to look at her Mom, "It's just weird to think I'll see him today...it's been so long."

"You can still change your mind." Lorelai reminded her, "You don't have to see him ever again if you don't want too."

Rory shook her head, "After today I have no intention of seeing him again. And I want him to know that."

Lorelai sighed and brushed some hair away from Rory's eyes, "No matter how much you've grown...I still think of you as being as tiny as Elise. I hate to think that I won't be with you today...that I can't protect you from this."

Rory smiled sadly, "I don't need you to protect me from this Mom. He needs to know how I feel. I think I'll feel a lot better once I get it off my chest…"

Lorelai nodded and leaned forward to kiss her forehead, "I love you kid."

"I love you too Mom." Rory said snuggling further into her Mom, "And just for the record...no matter how old I get...I will always need you."

Lorelai swallowed her tears and held her close, "And I'll always be here…"

They both fell asleep again together in the small bed. For just a little while longer they were just Lorelai and Rory again like they had been for so many years. Together they could face anything head on. April woke up later in the morning and smiled when she saw Lorelai and Rory curled up in bed together. She walked out into the hallway and noticed her Dad had a strange expression on his face.

"She's with Rory…" April whispered as she shut the door behind her.

Luke let out a tiny breath and nodded, "I should have guessed…"

April smiled at him, "Jack and Elise still asleep?"

Luke nodded, "Yeah I might let them snooze a little while longer. You want some breakfast?"

April nodded and followed him down the hallway and into the kitchen. She sat down at the table and watched her father navigate around the kitchen with ease. Through the years she had come to realize that her father kept a lot of his own personal pain locked away. She knew that this whole situation was going to be difficult for him because he was afraid of what Christopher might do to Lorelai again. He had originally planned to fly out to school with her and her Mom to help her move in the upcoming weeks. But April was beginning to think that him being here was much more important…

"Hey Dad?" April asked as she watched him pour her some juice.

He turned back to her and smiled, "Yeah?"

"I've been thinking…" She shifted nervously, "Instead of taking me to school...I think you should stay here with Lorelai."

Luke stopped what he was doing and turned back to her, "What?"

She sighed, "I know we had this big plan...but I think it is more important for you to be here. Lorelai and Rory need you right now...it's going to be tense for awhile. I am perfectly fine moving in with Mom. And you can come visit when things calm down…"

"It's your Freshman year." Luke said with a frown as he placed her juice in front of her and sat down, "This is huge kid...I want to be there.'

April nodded, "I know you do. But...you also want to be here. They need you more right now...to be honest I'll be a nervous wreck if you aren't around them. During the last six years...Lorelai and Rory have become important to me too. Knowing that they are safe will make me feel better about leaving in the first place…"

Luke sighed, "You're an amazing kid...you know that?"

April smiled sheepishly, "I mean it Dad...I have three more years after that and I promise you can be at every single move in day after this. But right now...you need to be here. I called Mom last night and filled her in on everything...and she completely agreed. She also said that if there is anything she can do to help to please call her…"

Luke smiled, "You're absolutely sure? I mean I moved in Rory to school...I feel like I should be there for you. I missed so much as it is…"

April shook her head and grabbed for his hand, "Dad...it's okay." She swallowed hard, "Seeing Rory trying to deal with all this...I realized that even though I missed out on the first twelve years with you I still got pretty damn lucky. I can't even imagine what she is feeling right now. I have never had to question whether or not you cared about me...or whether or not you would hurt me. But Rory has...and she and Lorelai need you here to keep them safe. It's the right thing to do."

Luke swallowed hard and stood up to pull her into his arms, "I love you kid."

She held him back, "I love you too. Just keep them safe Dad…" She pulled away slowly and looked at him, "And keep yourself safe too…I still need my Dad around."

Luke nodded slowly and kissed the top of her head, "I'm not going anywhere."

Lorelai and Rory walked into the room and spotted them hugging, Luke smiled at his wife and pulled away. "Good morning. Coffee?"

"Yes please." All three of the girls said at once.

He glanced down at April, "Whoa...wait. When did you start drinking coffee?"

April smirked, "When I realized that the more coffee I drink the more studying I get in…"

Luke groaned, "I thought I was safe with you...you don't have any Gilmore actually in your blood."

April smiled, "Don't blame them. This was all on me. Plus Mom let me try it actually."

Luke sighed, "Remind me to talk to her about that." He walked back towards the coffee maker, "Three coffee's coming right up…"

Lorelai smiled and sat down at the table with Rory, "So…" April said, "How are you feeling Rory?"

Rory sighed, "Okay considering...a little anxious. I'll be happy when the day is over."

April nodded, "I can understand that."

"I thought that we could go out on the boat tomorrow." Luke said placing the mugs in front of the three of them, "It's supposed to be a beautiful day. And it might be good for all of us to just get out of here for a bit…"

"I think that's a great idea." Lorelai said taking a sip of her coffee, "Hey before I forget, we need to book your ticket for when you take April to school."

Luke glanced at April out of the corner of his eye, "Actually...I think I'm going to stay here."

Lorelai frowned, "What do you mean stay here?"

April bit her lip nervously, "I told Dad that I think it would be better if he stays around here. Just until things die down…"

Lorelai shook her head, "Oh hon no...he should be with you! This is such a big deal for you."

April nodded, "I know. But...I want him to stay. I want him to keep an eye out on you and Rory…" She swallowed hard, "To be honest it's for my own sanity…"

"April…" Lorelai said reaching for her hand, "I don't want you to be worrying about any of this. You have such an exciting time coming up. You're going to school and you will meet so many great new friends and learn as much as possible. I don't want this to ruin your experience."

April shook her head, "It won't. As long as I know you guys are safe...then I'll be okay."

"April…" Lorelai whispered again, "I just…"

"I know you're not my Mom...not biologically." April said as her eyes welled up with tears, "But I still...I still care about you."

Lorelai jumped out of her seat and pulled the young girl into her arms, "God. I love you too April...you know that."

Luke smiled and put a hand on Rory's shoulder, "I just...I think this is best for everyone. And then maybe you guys can all come visit in a few months? Escape some of the cold weather on the East Coast. It could be fun…" April whispered.

Lorelai pulled away and wiped at her step-daughters tears, "That would be great. But...are you totally and completely sure about this?"

April nodded, "Yes. And Mom's on board too. I talked to her last night...she wants you to call her if you need anything at all."

Lorelai smiled. Throughout the last six years, Anna and Lorelai had tried really hard to maintain a friendship that would make things easier for everyone involved. Whenever Anna and April visited, she made it a point to bring gifts for Jack and Elise. She had become fond of the two young children and they had created a comfortable routine. Luke was incredibly grateful for their ability to be adults about the situation and the fact that Anna had finally learned to accept and embrace the presence of Lorelai in her daughter's life.

"You're a really amazing kid." Lorelai said brushing back April's hair, "Incredibly mature."

April shrugged, "Some things are more important than moving day…"

Lorelai wrapped an arm around her shoulder, "Well I owe you one kid. Big time…"

April smiled, "You don't owe me anything Lorelai. Like I said...as long as you're safe and happy that's all that matters."

Lorelai pulled away and wiped at her eyes, "I can already tell I'm going to be a mess today…"

"Everything is going to be fine…" Luke whispered as he looked directly at her.

She nodded slowly, "I know. I know…"

Rory took a deep breath, "Hey Luke?"

He looked down at her, "Yeah?"

"Think you can make me the works this morning? I think I'm going to need my strength." She said looking up at him nervously.

He smiled and leaned down to kiss the top of her head, "You got it. Why don't you go wake up the two monsters and I'll cook for everyone."

Rory smiled as she walked with her Mom and step-sister back to the stairs, "You picked a good husband Mom."

Lorelai smiled winked at Luke as they passed him, "The best…"

Luke shook his head and started to grab things out of the refrigerator. His first mission in all of this, was getting Lorelai through the remainder of the day without her having a full blown heart attack. He knew it wasn't going to be easy to let Rory face Chris but it had to be done. And the rest would fall into place over time…

* * *

Two hours later, Richard was waiting in the car as April played with Jack and Elise in the yard. Lorelai and Luke were standing on the front steps waiting for Rory to come outside. When the door opened Luke felt Lorelai tense beside him, but he put a reassuring hand on her back to reminder her she wasn't alone.

Rory walked over to them and smiled, "I'll be back in a few hours."

"I want you to call me as soon as you get in the car to come home." Lorelai said quickly, "I mean it. The second you sit down you call me."

"Mom…" Rory whispered softly as she stepped closer to her.

"And...you know stay with Grandpa. And the lawyers. Don't wander off on your own anywhere. Make sure someone's with you all the time. And just be smart." Lorelai continued to ramble.

"Lorelai…" Luke whispered as he squeezed her shoulder, "She's gotta get on the road…"

Lorelai nodded and pulled her into her arms, "Just be safe. Please."

Rory closed her eyes and breathed her Mother in, "I will. I love you Mom…"

Lorelai swallowed hard and kissed the side of her face, "I love you too. So much."

Rory pulled away, wiped at Lorelai's tears and leaned up to kiss Luke's cheek. "I'll be back soon."

She walked away quickly because she knew one more second longer and she may lose her nerve. She got in the car with Richard who honked the horn and gave a reassuring wave to his daughter and son-in-law. Luke felt Lorelai's shoulders begin to tremble and he turned her around slowly and pulled her close.

"It's okay…" Luke whispered as he wrapped his hands in her hair, "I'm right here…"

"I hate him." She mumbled into his shoulder, "He's her father...she shouldn't be afraid to see him. I shouldn't be afraid for him to be around her…"

Luke nodded and rocked her back and forth, "I know...I wish I could change it."

She clung to his shirt tightly, "I just...I still can't believe that we got here. They always had a strained relationship...but I always just assumed he'd be around…"

"Christopher made his own choices." Luke said rubbing her back softly, "You had no control over what he did...and I don't just mean him hitting you. He could have tried to improve his relationship with Rory for years...but he chose not too."

Lorelai nodded and pulled away, "I know...but I still can't help but feel guilty about it all. If I hadn't of made him think I wanted-"

He shook his head, "We agreed that we can't do that. Your counselor told you it will only drive you crazy...Christopher is an adult. He knew what he was doing when he married you and when he made the choice to hit you. None of this is your fault."

She sighed and looked down the path that her father's car had gone, "I just wish…"

He nodded and kissed her head, "I know. We all wish it was different. But it's not...and we will deal with whatever happens. Okay?"

She nodded and glanced back at him as she played with the buttons on his shirt, "I'm sorry I ever made you worry about going to see him...because this really sucks."

Luke laughed, "Yeah...it wasn't the best hours of my life. I burned just about every order I put through. And I think I spilled scalding coffee on Kirk. But he could tell I was so tense he didn't say a word and still gave me a twenty dollar tip."

She smirked and buried her face in the crook of his neck again, "I love you."

He wrapped his arms tightly around her, "I love you too."

"She's going to be fine…" Lorelai whispered, "We're all going to be fine…"

"Exactly." He said kissing her temple gently, "I'll make sure of it."

Lorelai closed her eyes and breathed him in letting the familiarness of his strength and protectiveness slowly push away her fear. She knew that as long as she had this man by her side she could face anything. But she also knew that the next few hours were going to be torture…

* * *

At the courthouse, Rory stood beside her grandfather waiting to be let in to see her father. They had sat through his proceedings and Rory had expressed her concern about her father's release and what he might do to her Mother. But Christopher had taken the stand and described how much he wished he could change what had happened all those years ago. He said he had learned a very important lesson and was hoping to be given a second chance.

Much to Rory and Richard's dismay, the judge had ruled in Christopher's favor. He agreed to the restraining order with both Lorelai and Rory's names on it. And they would re-meet at a later time to discuss adding the rest of the children on the list as well. As Rory waited for her moment to talk to her father, she thought of all the times he had let her down in her life.

There were missed recitals, weekends of planned visits cut short or ones that never even started. He had missed her graduation from Chilton, wasn't there to move her into college and never called when he said he would. He had broken her Mother and Luke up not once but twice. And six years ago he had committed the ultimate betrayal and physically harmed the most important person in her life...her mother.

The door to the meeting room opened and Rory took a deep breath as her Grandfather put a gentle hand on her back. She felt her heart racing in her chest and she tried to remind herself to stay calm and civil during this visit. She barely heard the officer say that she could go in, and she had to have her Grandfather lead her into the room.

Back in the courtroom, Rory had made sure not to look directly at Christopher. But here, the room was tiny and there was no where else to look. She saw a small nervous smile plastered on his face as he sat across the table and waited for her to join him. In some ways he looked the same as she remembered. But in other ways he looked tired and broken. Christopher Hayden had always looked so put together, but 6 years in prison had certainly taken their toll on him.

"Hey kid…" Chris whispered softly.

Rory tensed at his words and stopped short, she felt Richard urge her forward and he stepped back into the corner to give her a moment. She took a deep breath to compose herself, and then took the chair across from him.

""There will be no physical contact during this visit." The officer said beside them, "Even though you are being released soon...this is the only visit you will have. Understood?"

Christopher nodded, "Yes."

Rory turned away from him and looked down at the table, "I understand."

The officer nodded slowly and stepped back slowly to let them speak, "Did you get my letters?" Chris asked softly.

Rory sighed and knew she had to look at him at some point, "Yes...but I didn't read them."

Christopher sighed, "I had a feeling you did...never got any responses."

"I didn't have much to say." Rory said crossing her arms over her chest.

Christopher nodded slowly, "Rory...I know that what I did was terrible. But you have to understand that I just felt your Mom slipping away. I felt like everything I had been working for years coming to an end."

Rory laughed and rolled her eyes, "You didn't work for a damn thing. You had every chance to be with us...and you blew every single one of them."

"I asked her to marry me." Christopher said, "When she was pregnant...you know I did."

Rory nodded, "I know. But you were sixteen. You weren't ready...and even if you had gotten married you both would have been miserable."

"When your Mom said no it decided how it went for you and me kid...don't you see that?" He asked trying to reason with her.

"That is ridiculous. Mom gave you every opportunity to see me. She agreed to drive me all around just to spend time with you and you always disappointed me. And guess who was always there to fix it?" Rory said with a smirk.

Rory saw his face tense but he seemed to ignore her, "Rory...I've had six years to think about what I did. I've missed so much of my life...of Gigi's life and yours…"

"You should have thought about that before you hurt Mom." Rory said staring directly at him.

"Rory...I know that right now the court says that I can't see you. But...I'm hoping that at some point that will change. I'd like to be a part of your life. I want to know what you've been up too in the last few years." Christopher said sadly.

"You want to know what I've been doing?" She leaned against the table and glared at him, "I've been trying to wrap my head around the fact that my own father could possibly hurt the most important person in my life the way he did. I don't care if she had cheated on you with Luke or anyone else for that matter...you should have been an adult about it. But you were a coward like you always have been. You took the easy way out and tried to make her feel weak. You are pathetic. If Gigi chooses to have you in her life...that's great for her. But I want nothing to do with you from this point on."

Christopher swallowed hard, "Rory…"

"For years I wished that you would just be there for me. I didn't need you to be married to Mom...I just needed you to be around. I needed to know that if I need you I could call you and you'd show up when you said you would. But it never happened. You blew me off again and again and I was stupid because I just thought that at some point...you'd get it together. I thought you'd finally love me enough to be my Dad. But you never did…" She said as the tears welled up in her eyes.

"I know that I was a terrible father. But I'm asking for a second chance…" Christopher said leaning into her, "We could start over."

"How can we possibly start over? I will never be able to look at you the same way again." Rory said shaking her head, "When I was little and you would visit I thought you were the greatest man in the world...but you have proven that I could not have been more wrong. You could never be the father I needed you to be. But guess who always was there for me Dad...guess who is still there when I need him...who's waiting at home right now to make sure that I'm okay?" Rory said with a smirk.

Christopher leaned back in his chair, "So she married him?"

"Of course she did. He is the love of her life. And they have an amazing life together. And he has been the most amazing husband and father Mom and I could ever have asked for. You will never measure up to him." Rory spat out at him.

Christopher sighed and put his head down, "Rory...I just want to move on with my life. I'm not going to do anything stupid...I've lost so much time. If you don't want me in your life…" He looked up and swallowed hard, "Then I guess that's something I'm going to have to deal with but...let me live my life okay? I hope that...I hope that you are happy. And that your Mom is too."

"Don't even talk about her." Rory said angrily, "You don't get to ask about her. You don't get to wonder or even think about her!"

He sighed again, "Rory...she was a big part of my life for years. If you think I haven't thought about her in the last six years you're crazy. I've thought about her every single day. I have regretted what I did to her...I have wished I could take it back. If she's happy…" He swallowed hard and nodded his head, "Then...I think that's great."

"And I'm just supposed to believe that? I'm supposed to believe that you are just going to walk away and leave us alone forever?" Rory asked sadly, then she laughed, "It's kind of ironic when I think about it. For years I would have given anything to have you around...but you didn't care. And now...now you want to be part of our life and we want nothing to do with you."

Christopher nodded slowly, "If that's what you want...then I will have to respect that." He shrugged, "It's not like I have much of a choice anyway...the court says I can have no contact with you. And trust me...I have no intention of going back to jail."

Rory smirked, "Well I hope you mean that. Because as of this momen...you don't exist in my life. You will never see me again...never talk to me again. You can wonder all you want about Mom and I but we don't need you. We never really did...at least not after we met Luke. He is the only man we will ever need in our lives. Do you hear me? I never want to see you again."

Richard stepped forward as he felt Rory's composure slipping, "Rory I think it's time to go…"

"You will never again disappoint me. You will never again hurt me or Mom. You are nothing." Rory said as the tears began to fall freely down her cheeks. "I hate you."

"Well...whether you believe it or not...I do love you Rory. I always did...and I always will." Christopher said looking directly at her.

She shook her head sadly as she stood up, "No you don't. And you never did...if you really loved me you never would have hurt me this much. Goodbye _Christopher._ Have a nice life."

She turned quickly without giving him another look and ran out of the room. Richard glared at Christopher who looked stunned by her words. In that moment, Richard had never been more proud of his Granddaughter for being so brave.

He took a deep breath nodded his head, "You stay away from them. If you don't...I promise you'll have more to worry about than a few more years in prison. Understood?"

Christopher sighed and nodded his head as he looked down at the table again. Richard pulled at his suit jacket, turned on his heel and walked out of the room. He found Rory leaning against the wall crying. He immediately pulled her into his arms and held her tightly.

"Take me home." She said into his chest, "I need to see Mom."

Richard nodded and rubbed her back, "Come on."

* * *

Back at the house, Lorelai was pacing in the kitchen after she had put Elise and Jack down for their afternoon naps. April was washing dishes from lunch as she watched her move briskly through the room. She glanced to the left just as Luke walked in the room and she smiled nervously at him.

"Lorelai...you're going to put a hole in the floor." Luke said walking up to her. "You need to relax."

"What's taking so long? Why haven't they called me?" Lorelai asked as she continued to pace.

He grabbed her arm and tried to keep her still, "I am sure that they will be home very soon. You need to take a deep breath…"

"I don't' want to take a deep breath!" Lorelai yelled, "I want to know that she's okay! I want to see her standing right here so that I don't have to worry for another second."

"Lorelai…" April said softly as she stepped up to them.

"I don't care if I sound irrational or stupid. I don't care if I look like the crazy mom who wants to track her kids every move. I hate that I couldn't go with her. I should be with her for this!" Lorelai yelled loudly.

"Lorelai…" April said stepping up to her.

"What?" Lorelai snapped as she turned to the girl.

April smiled knowing she hadn't meant to yell at her, "She just pulled in…"

Lorelai's head whipped around and she walked through the foyer and out the front door. Rory was running from the car as fast as she could and practically threw herself into her Mother's arms at the bottom of the porch steps.

"Hey…" Lorelai said holding her tight, "Aw hon…" She could feel her trembling, "It's okay. You're okay. You're home now…"

"I hate him." Rory cried into her mother's shoulder, "God I hate him so much."

Lorelai heard the door open behind her and she knew that Luke and April were walking up behind her. She looked up as her father stepped up behind Rory and placed a gentle hand on her back.

"What happened?" Luke asked as he stood behind his wife looking worriedly at his step-daughter.

Richard shook his head, "I think it was just a little more overwhelming than she expected...but she was very brave. She said everything she needed to say…"

Lorelai ran her hands through Rory's hair, "Rory…"

Rory pulled back and stared at her Mom through tear filled eyes, "I told him I never wanted to see him again. I told him to leave us alone...I told him we had Luke and that's all we needed." She took a deep breath and looked at Luke, "You are my father. He will never compare to the man that you are...you've always been there. He never was...and he never will be."

Luke sighed and put a hand on her arm, "Rory...I am always going to be here for you. You know that."

Rory pulled away from her Mom and fell into his arms, "Luke…"

He held her close and rubbed her back, "It's okay...it's over. You don't have to see him again."

Rory nodded against him and let him hold her tight. Lorelai wiped her own tears away and looked back at her Dad who looked like he too was about to cry.

He cleared his throat slowly, "The judge agreed to the restraining order...for now you and Rory are the only one's on it. But we are going to re meet later to discuss having April, Jake and Elise placed under protection as well. He will be officially released on Friday."

Lorelai nodded slowly and stepped into her father, "Thank you Dad...for everything."

Richard swallowed hard and held her tightly, "Of course…"

Rory sighed and pulled away, "I need cake."

Lorelai couldn't help but laugh, "What?"

Rory pouted, "I don't know...I just want cake. I'm exhausted and sad and I just...I want cake."

Luke smiled, "Then I guess it's a good thing I grabbed a triple chocolate layer cake from Weston's this morning."

"Angel." Rory said turning back to him, "How did you know?"

He shrugged, "I got cake, pie and those new biscotti's she has been making. I even stopped and got a few gallons of ice cream. I figured I'd cover all my bases...just in case you needed a pick me up."

"What would we do without you?" Rory said softly as she leaned into him.

Luke smiled and put an arm around her, "Probably starve…" Everyone laughed again, "But lucky for you...you never have to wonder about that. I'm not going anywhere."

Rory sighed and let him lead her into the house, "Amen to that."

Lorelai watched as Luke walked into the house with Rory and April on either side of her. She felt her heart squeeze in her chest as her love for her husband grew more than she thought was humanly possible. She felt her father put a gentle hand on her back and pull her close.

"You okay?" He asked giving her shoulder a squeeze, "I know that this hasn't been easy…"

Lorelai sighed, "Did you see him too?"

Richard nodded, "I did…" He have her a satisfied smile as he continued, "Prison aged him."

She smirked, "Good." She turned towards him slowly, "Do you think he'll stay away?"

"He told Rory he wanted to get on with his life...that he was going to leave you all alone." Richard said as he put his hands in his pockets, "He seemed sincere…"

"Or he has been practicing his acting skills all these years…" Lorelai grumbled, "I just keep thinking about how angry he was that night that he found that letter. Now that he knows I married Luke...I can't imagine how angry he must be."

"Lorelai...it's been six years." Richard said, "We need to believe that he has moved on…" He put a hand on her back encouragingly, "I don't want you to let him have this kind of power over you. You'll drive yourself crazy if you feel like you have to look over your shoulder all the time."

Lorelai sighed and wiped a hand over her face, "I know...I know I need to keep it together for Rory and Luke. But I just can't shake this feeling that this isn't over yet…I'm worried that he'll show up. I'm afraid of what Luke will do if he does…"

"Luke loves you." Richard said softly, "He will always protect you."

"I know that." Lorelai whispered, "And I love him for that...but I can't bare the thought of him getting in trouble...I've already hurt him so much in the past. And we have such an amazing life now...this is where he belongs. The kids need him...I need him."

"And he knows that. He isn't going to do anything unless provoked. But for now...we need to believe that Christopher will stay away. Rory made her feelings very clear...I think he got the message." He hoped that his words would help her relax.

Lorelai let out a shaky breath and nodded, "I just...wish I could be certain."

"I know." He leaned forward and kissed her head, "But you're not alone anymore Lorelai. We're all going to get through this together."

Lorelai nodded slowly, "Okay...do you want to come in? We have some leftovers from lunch…"

Richard smiled, "Sure. I'd love to stay for a bit. I should call your mother too. I'm sure she's just as worried as you have been."

Lorelai watched him start to walk towards the house but she quickly called out to him, when he turned she gave him a gentle smile. "Thank you...for your support. It's meant the world to me…"

Richard smiled, "You are my daughter Lorelai...We have been through a lot together. Both goo and bad. But I am your father...I will never let anyone hurt you and get away with it. That's a promise."

Lorelai nodded slowly and walked up to him, she put an arm around his back and he put his around her shoulder. They walked back to the house together and were both hoping that Christopher would actually keep his word for once in his life... 

* * *

**Hope you like it. Reviews always appreciated. I have some time off this week so I should be able to get the next chapter up soon. :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Here's the next chapter! Thanks again for the continued support :) I will try to update as quick as possible!**

* * *

The next two days rained nonstop. Lorelai didn't voice it but she felt like it was a bad omen. Despite the rain, Luke had made sure that the days were filled with fun and laughter to make sure that everyone was happily distracted. Friday was coming closer and closer and Luke knew that that particular day was going to be incredibly difficult. He hoped that it would be nice enough for them to finally get out of the house on that particular day. To be far out on the ocean would give them plenty of space between Christopher Hayden and the Gilmore/Danes family.

That Friday morning, Rory woke up and went out to the garage to get a box of her old things that Lorelai had agreed to keep. It was early and she knew that no one else was awake yet. The sun was finally shining and she tried to take it as a good sign. Rory quickly found the box she was looking for and went back to the living room in the house.

She took things out one by one and smiled at the old pictures and memories. Copies of old books she had loved, notes from Lane and Paris, pictures of Lorelai and Rory in the potting shed. And finally...she found what she was looking for.

She took a deep breath as she took out the picture of her and Christopher during one of his visits. They were standing outside of Lorelai and Rory's old house, he had his arm wrapped tightly around Rory and she was staring up at him as if he was her hero. She remembered that weekend well. Lorelai and Rory had recently moved into the house and Christopher came to see where they were living. He had brought Rory ten new books to fill her bookshelves (little did he know...Luke had built them).

Buying things was something that Christopher often did. He thought that showering her with gifts would make up for all the times he had blown her off for visits. All the times he had disappointed her. He sent gifts to fill that void. Rory looked at the happy look on her face and wondered how the hell things had changed so much. Today her father would walk free for assaulting her mother and she wished that he would fall off the face of the world.

She wiped a tear away from her face and practically jumped off the couch when she noticed that her little brother was standing in front of her, "Hey Jack. I didn't see you there…"

Jack was standing in his pajamas and had a frown on his face, "Why are you crying Rory?"

Rory sighed and pulled Jack up onto her lap, "I'm just...having a bad day buddy."

"But it's only morning. How can your whole day be bad already?" Jack asked.

Rory couldn't help but laugh at the innocence of her brother, "I guess you're right...I don't know if the whole day will be bad. So...I'm just having a bad morning."

Jack took the picture from her hand and smiled, "Is that you?"

Rory nodded, "Yeah. That was a long time ago...way before you and Elise were born."

"Who's that?" Jack asked pointing at Christopher in the picture.

Rory took a deep breath, "Well...that's um...that's my Dad."

"Christopher?" Jack asked as he turned to look at her, "That's his name right?"

Rory nodded slowly, "That's right…"

"He looks like a nice man." Jack said as he shifted on her lap, "How come it makes you cry to look at him?"

"It's….it's complicated." Rory said swallowing hard, "You know how sometimes Mom and Dad say it's a grown up thing?"

Jack groaned, "I hate when they say…"

Rory laughed, "I know buddy. But sometimes there are certain things that are hard to understand when you are a kid."

Jack frowned, "You don't like your Dad?"

Rory rested her chin on his little shoulder, "Jack…"

"I know you said you want to share my Dad...but don't you want your own?" Jack asked.

Rory could feel the tears burning in her eyes again and she just couldn't find the right words to explain it to him. So instead she decided lying would make it easier for now. "Well he's just busy right now buddy...but maybe someday I'll see him again, okay?"

Jack shrugged, "Okay."

"Come on...let's go make some chocolate milk." Rory said kissing his cheek softly.

"We gotta drink it fast! Because Daddy doesn't like when I have it in the morning!" Jack said as he scurried off her lap.

Rory smiled, "I think it's time I teach you the power of the pout Jack…"

Jack turned and smiled mischievously at her, "So I can get whatever I want?"

Rory laughed, "Exactly bud. We'll talk about it over that milk. Come on…"

* * *

Upstairs, Lorelai's eyes fluttered open as she felt the sun shining through the window. She took a deep breath and tried to keep the tears at bay as she remembered what today was. Somehow the wonderful man behind her had sensed that she was awake. And just when she needed him, he rolled over and wrapped a tight protective arm around her middle.

"Hey…" He whispered as he kissed the top of her head. "Did you sleep okay?"

She sighed and closed her eyes again, "I guess…"

Luke sighed and pulled at her hips, "Lorelai…"

She turned slowly in his arms and tried to look at him without breaking down, "I don't like this…"

Luke leaned forward and kissed both her cheeks and her nose and finally her lips, "I'm not going to let him hurt you."

She started to cry and she ducked her head and buried her face in the crook of his neck, "I just can't shake this horrible feeling...I don't trust him. I know I'm probably being paranoid but I just…"

"You are not being paranoid. You are allowed to have your personal feelings Lorelai. No one expected you to just be okay with him being released…" Luke whispered as he rubbed her back gently.

She pulled away slowly, "The thing is...it's not me I'm worried about Luke. It's you...and Rory. Even my parents...There isn't much else that Christopher can do to my personally that will bother me. What will hurt will be him going after you guys...he's not stupid enough to come after me. At least I don't think he is…"

"I told you I wouldn't go after him...and I'm going to keep my promise." Luke said as he held her face in his hands, "There is no one in the world I hate more than Christopher Hayden. And I would love to give him a piece of my mind not to mention a few well deserved punches…"

She swallowed hard, "Luke…" She whispered wearily.

He shook his head, "Let me finish." He watched her take a deep breath and he nodded slowly as he continued, "But as much as I hate him...I love you more. You are my life Lorelai. And I will always protect you...but I know what you are afraid of. And so I'm going to keep my promise...I'm going to stay right here with you."

Her eyes welled up with tears as she leaned into him, "I love you so much. I don't know how I ever thought I could live without you…"

Luke wrapped his arms around her tightly, "Shh...none of that matters now. All that matters is that we are here together….we have our family. I will keep you safe. I won't go after him...but if he provokes me...if he tries anything...you know I won't accept it…"

She nodded slowly as she pulled away again, "I know…" She lifted a hand and put it against his cheek, "Just...promise me one more thing."

He leaned forward and kissed her gently on the lips, "What?"

"Promise that you'll stay safe...that you won't leave me." She said softly, "I know you will protect us...and I love that. But no matter what happens...you come home to me. Okay?"

Luke sighed and rolled over on top of her, "Always…"

She closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around his neck, "Luke I need you…"

He lifted a hand to trace the side of her face, "Look at me…"

She licked her lips, let her eyes flutter open as a few tears escape the corner of her eyes, "Luke…"

"I love you." He whispered as he looked directly into her eyes, "I'm not going anywhere…"

She nodded slowly and pulled him close as the tears continued to fall. And Luke took on his first mission of the day...to chase every single tear away with a kiss and a reminder of how damn much he loved her.

* * *

By 11:00am, the whole family was dressed and ready to head to the marina. With Elise on her hip and Jack holding her other hand, Lorelai walked down the dock eager to get as far away from land as possible. Rory and April were walking behind her with their arms loaded with coolers and bags. Luke got out of the car, glanced around and for a moment half expected see Christopher staring back at him.

He took a deep breath, grabbed the last of the bags and followed his family down the dock. He settled onto the board, helped Lorelai situate the kids and then took his spot behind the wheel. He smiled as Lorelai strapped on Jack's life jacket and April and Rory pointed out birds to an excited Elise.

"Daddy! Can I help you steer?" An excited Jack asked as he ran from Lorelai's side to his.

"Sure buddy." Luke leaned over and took out the little stool for Jack, lifted him up and set him up behind the wheel. He laughed when he noticed that Jack's eyes barely made it past the top of the wheel and he stood behind him to help him steer.

Lorelai smiled and walked up behind Luke where she rested her chin on his shoulder, "This was a good idea…"

Luke nodded and turned his head to kiss her cheek softly, "You feeling any better?"

She wrapped her arms around his waist as he and Jack steered them away from the dock, "I'm surrounded by the most important people in my life. This is all I need…"

He took one hand of the wheel and squeezed her hands around him, "Good…"

"Mommy look! I'm a Captain!" Jack yelled as he practically jumped up and down on the stool, "I'm like Captain Jack Sparrow!"

Lorelai smirked, "Sorry bud...your Dad has already taken that title."

Luke groaned, "Lorelai…"

"I still have the costume stowed away in the garage…" She whispered in his ear, "Just so you know…"

He couldn't help but laugh, "You're insufferable…"

"No. I'm just crazy about you." She said as she nuzzled his neck, "And I love you."

"I love you too." He said giving her hand another squeeze as he put his hand back on the wheel to help Jack steer them out of the harbor, "Why don't you go relax with the girls? We got it covered here."

"Always looking out for me." She said kissing his cheek again, she pulled away and gave him a slight wink as she walked over to the girls.

They were sitting at the head of the boat and trying to teach Elise new words, "Come on Elise...say Rory!"

"Roro!" Elise said as she clapped her hands, "Roro! Roro!"

Rory sighed as Lorelai and April laughed, "She still calls me Apple so...take Roro."

Lorelai smiled and took the young girl in her arms, "Well I taught her a new word. Didn't I baby girl?" She nuzzled her nose and whispered, "Say pretty!"

Elise called her hands again, "Pretty! Pretty!"

Rory shook her head, "Out of all the words you could have taught her...you chose pretty?"

Lorelai smiled and turned Elise around so she was sitting in her lap, "It was one of your first real words too. I wanted to make sure you both knew just how pretty you are!"

Rory smiled, "You're nuts…"

"So they tell me." Lorelai said as she blew a raspberry on Elise's cheek making her giggle, "But you all love me so...jokes on you."

Rory watched as the smile on her mother's face faded, "Hey…" Lorelai glanced back at her oldest daughter and Rory continued, "How are you doing?"

Lorelai sighed and rocked Elise back and forth, "I'm okay kid...just…" She swallowed hard, "Just trying to stay positive about it all. I don't want it to ruin everything ya know? We have so many great things in our lives...so much to be happy about. I don't want my fear of your Dad's release to tear us apart."

"It won't." April said putting a hand on her Step-Mother's arm. "This family has been through some much...this isn't going to break us. We won't let it."

Lorelai smiled at her, "I am so lucky to have you two...watching you both grow up and become the women that you have become has been such a blessing. I am so grateful for you both."

Rory smiled at April, "Well I think I speak for April when I say we had an amazing example to live up too…"

Lorelai blushed, "Yeah well...you have to say that. You're my daughter."

April smiled, "I technically don't have to say it. We could have one of those strained Step-daughter and Step-Mother relationships. But I knew from the moment I met you that you were someone I wanted to know. Someone I wanted to be like...you don't give yourself enough credit Lorelai. You are an amazing role model...an amazing mother."

Lorelai bit her lip, "I thought we were going to try and keep me from crying today?" She teased.

April laughed and wrapped an arm around her, "Sorry…"

Lorelai laughed and shook her head, "No...don't be. Thank you...both of you." She said looking back at Rory, "It has been so great having you both home. It always is...but right now it is making this much easier for me."

"No matter how far away either one of us is...we'll still be with you." Rory said giving her Mom's knee a squeeze, "We're both only a phone call away."

"Thank God for the advance in technology in the last few years. I get to facetime you both whenever I want." She said gleefully, "And Elise and Jack love seeing you both."

"It's so hard being away from them…" April said reaching for Elise's little hand, "I always feel like I'm missing so much. Whenever you sent pictures or videos...it makes me feel like I'm right with them."

"Well your Dad and I show both Jack and Elise your pictures every night before bed. They see you two, my parents and his parents. We want them to know how many people love them." Lorelai said leaning down to kiss her Elise's head. "Growing up...as much as my parents tried there wasn't a lot of love going around...I didn't want that for my children."

"So is that why you smothered me with love while I was growing up?" Rory teased.

April and Lorelai both laughed as Lorelai answered, "Probably. I never want any of you to doubt how Luke and I feel about you. I want you to know that we're here no matter what...that we would do anything for you."

April squeezed her knee, "We have never had to doubt it Lorelai…"

She nodded slowly, "That's good…" She took a deep breath, "You know now that you are going away to school...nothing changes. You need us...you call us, okay? Day or night...we'll be on the next plane out to you."

April nodded, "I know. Thank you…"

"Same goes for me." Rory said giving her a smile, "Anything I can do to help...or if you just need to vent about the stress of school...I'm all ears."

April smiled and looked down at her hands, "You know it's funny...for so long it was just me and my Mom. And I always wondered what it would be like to have a big family...and then I found Dad…" She took a deep breath, "I know I shocked him...I know I shocked all of you." She glanced back at her Step-Mother, "And sometimes I feel bad about the way things turned out at first…"

Lorelai shook her head, "We have talked about this. None of it was your fault…"

April nodded, "I know...but all this coming back up...with Christopher I mean...I can't help but think that if I had stayed away...you and Dad would have-"

Lorelai sighed and quickly handed Elise to Rory, "Hey...I don't want to hear you talk like that anymore. Your Dad and I made our own choices...you know that. We were both stubborn and stupid back then. You coming into our lives changed things sure...but it also brought us closer in the end."

April sighed, "But you never would have been with Christopher that night if-"

"It doesn't matter. None of it matters." Lorelai said as she grabbed her hands in hers, "April I love you...your Dad loves you. We are so glad you found him...sometimes bad things happen in life. I wish that I could protect all you kids from all the negative things in the world...but I can't. Things happen...and the only people we can blame are the people who made those bad choices. The person in this situation who made a bad choice was Christopher...you did nothing wrong. Okay? I need you to really understand this. I need to know that I have never and will never blame you."

April swallowed hard and nodded as the tears welled in her eyes, "Okay…"

"Okay?" Lorelai asked leaning down to see her eyes, "I don't want to hear you talk like this again...I don't want you to worry."

April smiled and leaned forward to hug her, "Okay. I know it's not my fault."

Lorelai kissed the side of her face, "Good. Your life is about to change in a huge way…" She pulled away and smiled at her, "You are going to love college...and I can't wait to see how you change the world. You're going to do big things April Nardini...and I feel lucky to know you."

April laughed as she wiped at her own tears, "Hey...I thought we said no tears…"

Lorelai smiled and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, "We will try to make those the last tears of the day, okay?"

April nodded and leaned against her, "Thank you Lorelai…"

Lorelai smiled and kissed the top of her head as she caught Luke's eye, he gave her a small smile and she just winked to let him know she was okay. She turned to look out at the ocean and saw how far they had already travelled. She closed her eyes and breathed in the salt air and tried to find some peace amidst this difficult day.

* * *

An hour later they had anchored far away from shore and were eating lunch on the main deck. Lorelai was sitting on the floor with Elise laughing as she pretended to be a train and a plane to get her to eat. Luke had Jack on his lap as he at his peanut butter sandwich. April and Rory were sitting close together as Rory gave her tips on the first few weeks of school.

Lorelai was laughing with Elise as her cell phone rang and she looked at the front to see it was her father, taking a deep breath she flipped it open. "Hey Dad."

Luke turned from his son to his wife as he heard her words. He waited patiently and saw how she tensed slightly a few times but didn't seem to to upset. He saw her give a few one line answers before hanging up and turning back to him.

"Everything okay?" Luke asked as he lifted Jack to sit on the seat beside him instead of his lap.

Lorelai nodded, "Yes. He just wanted me to know that he is officially out."

Luke took a deep breath and nodded, "Okay."

She swallowed hard and met his eyes, "Okay."

He gave her a smile and cocked his head to the side, "You alright?"

She pulled Elise close and held back her tears, "No." She sighed and then tried to give him at least a small smile, "But I will be."

He nodded slowly and turned back to his son who seemed mesmerized by something in the ocean, "What are you looking at bud?"

Jack dropped his sandwich and pointed out in front of him, "Whales!"

Luke followed his gaze and Lorelai scooped up Elise to look too, "Oh my goodness!" Lorelai said with a laugh, "Girls come here!"

Rory and April walked to their side and followed their gaze, "Wow! Look at that!" April yelled.

"Momma! Baby!" Elise yelled as she pointed to the whales.

Lorelai laughed and bounced her up and down, "That's right honey, that's a Momma whale and her baby."

"I wanna be as big as a whale!" Jack yelled as he jumped up and down in his seat.

Luke laughed and put him in his lap, "Unfortunately buddy...even eating all the vegetables in the world is not going to make you as big as a whale."

Jack frowned, "No fair...what's the point in eating the green stuff if I can't be a whale? I'm going back to twinkies."

Lorelai laughed, "That's my boy…"

Luke glared at her, "Don't encourage him." He lifted Jack to the edge of the boat, "Vegetables may not make you as big as a whale...but they can make you as strong as me. Is that good enough?"

Jack sighed, "I guess…"

"Ouch." Luke said with frown, "Beat out by a whale...are the days of being his hero gone?"

Lorelai laughed and kissed the side of his face, "I wouldn't worry too much about it...you'll always be his hero." She winked at him, "Mine too."

Luke leaned against her and tickled Elise's feet, "Thanks…"

Lorelai breathed deeply and looked around at her family and wished that it could stay like this forever. She held her daughter close and hoped that the past was in the past.

Late that night as the finally started to make their way back to dock, the girls had Jack and Elise fast asleep up at the front of the boat. Lorelai was sitting with them and then got up to walk back to Luke who was back at the wheel steering them home.

She wrapped her arms around his waist again and leaned her forehead against his back, "Thanks for a perfect day babe…"

He leaned against her, "I just like to see you happy…"

She smiled and kissed the back of his neck, "You're a good man...you know that?"

Luke smirked, "So they tell me…"

"I mean it Luke…" She said with a sigh as she rubbed his back up and down, "You're such a good man...my good man."

"Lorelai…" He whispered as he tried to look back over at her.

"I just...all this stuff going on...makes me think about all the things I did to hurt you. All the terrible this I said and did…" Her voice cracked and she heard him sigh.

"Lorelai…" He put one hand on the wheel and reached behind him to pull her to his side so he could kiss the top of her head, "We both did stupid things...we both hurt each other. But we've come a long way since then. Don't dwell on it…"

She nodded as she leaned into him, "I know. And I'm not trying too...it's just hard ya know? You get to a certain point in your life when you have to look at every moment of your life and how it has affected the place you are at now. And those things...those decisions led me here. And it's not just about me…" She looked back at her four children and swallowed hard as she looked back in front of her, "I worry about how it affects my children too…"

"That's because you are an amazing mother." Luke said giving her shoulder a squeeze. "You care enough about your kids to put their happiness before your own. They know how much you love them...you don't ever have to question that. They know you would sacrifice everything for them…"

She nodded slowly, "I hope so…" She licked her lips nervously, "I just worry...especially about Rory. I mean I know she's a grown woman now...she's got a life and a career. But...all of this...can't be easy for her to deal with. It hasn't escaped me that she hasn't had a really serious relationship since Logan. Don't you think that all of this has something to do with it? Don't you think my bad track record is reflected in that?"

Luke sighed, "Rory looks up to you. You know that. Christopher made his own choices. Rory knows everything you have been through...she knows how strong you are. I don't want you for one second to blame her not having a relationship on you. She's been traveling the country...creating a life for herself. Did you ever stop to think that maybe she learned from her Mom that she doesn't need a man to be strong? You showed her that she can do anything she puts her mind too, even if it's on her own. Maybe she wants to prove to herself she can do it too."

Lorelai smiled and kissed his shoulder, "You always know the right thing to say Luke Danes…"

He laughed, "Hardly...there was many a time when I said the wrong thing or nothing at all."

She squeezed him tight, "Well like you said...we've come a long way since all that."

Luke smiled and kissed the top of her head, "You're a great Mom. Don't ever doubt that. And you're a pretty phenomenal wife too."

She closed her eyes and leaned into him, "I don't know what I did to deserve you...but I'm damn glad you're my husband."

"The feeling is mutual." He said as he pulled his arm away from her and began to park the boat, "Why don't you go get the troops ready to head home? If we're lucky they'll be exhausted from the day and will go straight to bed…"

She smirked at him, "Why are you so eager to get them to bed?"

He turned and winked at her, "Just wanna spend some time with my incredibly sexy wife."

She smiled and leaned forward to kiss his lips, "I love you Burger Boy…"

"I love you too crazy lady." He said kissing her back as he turned back towards the docks.

Lorelai walked back over to the kids and smiled at Rory and April as they began to stir. She leaned over and picked up a half asleep Jack as he instinctively snuggled into her side. Lorelai smiled as she held him close and listened to his breath. "I love you Mommy…"

She smiled happily and kissed the top of his head, "I love you to Jack Jack...so much."

"Do you think Daddy will stop for milkshakes on the way home?" He asked with his eyes still closed.

Lorelai laughed, "It's pretty late little man...I don't think he'll say yes."

Jack lifted his head and looked at Rory, "Rory can we use the pout?"

"You taught him the pout?" Lorelai asked as she watched Rory held Elise in her arms.

Rory shrugged, "I just figured it would be useful to him in certain situations. You know Luke can't resist the pout...and I was a bit curious to see if it would work with a boy rather than a girl."

"Well if all of us do it...he won't be able to say no." Lorelai said with a glint in her eyes, "Elise somehow naturally learned how to do it...so he will not be able to say no."

"Not be able to say no to what?" Luke asked as he walked over to them.

Lorelai nudged Jack, "What did you want to ask Daddy bud?"

Jack lifted his head and smiled at his Dad, "It's been a great day Daddy. But you do you know what would make it even better?"

Luke sighed and put his hands in his pockets, "I'm afraid to ask…"

"We want milkshakes." Jack said with a straight face.

Luke groaned, "It's past 9...you should should be already in bed. No milkshakes." He said crossing his arms over his chest to try and look stern.

Jack sighed and leaned his head against his Mother's, "Please…"

Luke groaned as he watched Lorelai, Rory, April, Elise and even his son Jack give him the Lorelai pouty face. "Oh come on…how is that fair?" He said throwing his hands in the air.

"I am leaving in two days Dad…" April said as she walked closer to him, "It's a special occasion...please?"

"I knew it would be trouble if you taught them all the pout." Luke said pointing at Lorelai, "When it was just you and Rory it was bad enough...but five against one...that's just cruel!"

Rory smiled triumphantly, "So does that mean we're getting milkshakes?"

Luke groaned and put his hands on his head, "Fine…"

"Yes!" they all yelled and Rory leaned into her brother, "Told you it would come in handy!"

Luke scoffed, "I hold you responsible for this." He said pointing at her, "See if I help next time you move and you have to carry all those damn books back and forth!"

"Daddy said a bad word!" Jack said pointing at his Dad.

Lorelai pretended to glare at her husband, "Luke Danes...I am ashamed of you."

"Aw Geez…" He said as all five of them were now glaring at him.

"You can pretend to me mad but we all know you'll move me and my books as many times as I ask you too." Rory said leaning up to kiss his cheek, "All I have to do is pout!" She turned back to her family, "Let's go get our milkshakes!

"Milkshakes! Milkshakes!" Jack starting chanting which Rory and April joined in on as Jack jumped into April's arms.

Lorelai laughed as Luke watched them go with a defeated look, "You're mean…" He said to his wife.

She nuzzled his neck gently, "I'll make it up to you when we get home."

He laughed, "Yeah...that's not gonna happen. Once those milkshakes hits their bloodstream they'll be awake all night."

Lorelai smiled, "But that's why it's great we have two built in babysitters for the next few days. They always complain about not getting to spend enough time with Elise and Jack...and now's their chance!"

Luke smirked, "You're going to have to be quiet then...and we both know you aren't good at that."

Lorelai smiled mischievously and kissed under his ear, "Then we'll have to make sure my mouth is preoccupied the whole time…"

Luke gulped, "Lorelai…"

"The sooner we get their milkshakes...the sooner you get me home in bed." She said as she walked backwards, "So hurry up!"

Luke smiled and ran after her, "Damn I love you…"

Lorelai giggled and held him close, "I love you too."

They walked hand in hand off the boat and out to the car with their family. What could have been a terrible day, had turned into quite a perfect day for all of them.

* * *

Back in Hartford, Christopher Hayden was sitting in the living room of his Mother's house. It felt strange to be back in this very house, and even more strange to be out of prison. The last six years had dragged on forever and he had had a long time to think about how his actions had affected not only him but his entire family.

He sighed as he leaned into the couch and took a sip of his whiskey. The door to the living room opened and his mother walked in with a small smile on her face.

"How are you doing?" She asked as she sat across from him.

Chris shrugged, "Trying to get used to normal life again…"

"It will take some time...but you'll get there." Francine said as she crossed her legs, "Did you get a chance to talk to Sherry? Will she be dropping off Gigi tomorrow?"

He nodded and put his glass down, "She said she wasn't necessarily happy about it...but since you have been helping her take care of Gigi she realized she didn't have much choice. She asked if you would be with me the whole time."

Francine rolled her eyes, "You're her father...you don't need supervision."

He shrugged, "I can't really blame her for being concerned...I did just get out of prison."

Francine huffed, "You made a mistake Christopher. It wasn't that big a deal...people commit much worse crimes."

Chris stared at his Mother for a moment, "I hit my wife…" He grimaced, "Well technically she wasn't my wife...it wasn't legal…"

"Lorelai Gilmore made a lot of terrible choices." Francine said with a tight lipped smile, "She is hardly innocent. She never was and never will be."

"It doesn't mean she deserved what I did to her." Chris said shaking his head.

"Maybe not. But I hate that she has ruined your life." She said crossing her legs, "She gets to galavant with her husband and children and you have to try and start over!"

Chris swallowed hard, "Children? So...she had more kids?"

Francine rolled her eyes, "According to Sherry they had a son and a daughter together."

Chris nodded slowly and reached for his glass, "Well...good for them."

"Good for them?" Francine asked as she narrowed her eyes at him, "So you're happy for them?"

Chris sighed and put a hand over his face, "I mean...I guess? Is it awkward to think about it? Sure...but it's not like I hoped that she would join a convent…"

She laughed, "She'd never be allowed in a convent she was always loo-"

"Hey!" Chris said angrily, "Whether you like her or not...she is still your granddaughter's Mother. Although you never acknowledged Rory…" He sighed, "In case you forgot...it takes two people to make a baby Mom. I was just as guilty as she was…"

Francine rolled her eyes, "Yes well I'm sure she seduced you…"

"Actually it was my idea to have sex." Chris said putting a hand on his chest, "So if anyone is to blame it's me...and I told her we didn't need to use protection."

Francine scoffed, "Christopher Hayden!"

He rolled his eyes, "You know what...I'm exhausted. I'm going to bed."

"What is your plan? What are you going to do? You can't stay here forever." Francine said as she stood up to follow him.

He laughed sadly, "I don't know Mom...I haven't even been out for 24 hours. I haven't had much time to make a plan."

"Well who is going to hire you." She said, "You have a criminal record now. You'll have to get some mundane job...your father would be so ashamed."

He groaned and turned back to look at her, "Yes. Yes I am quite aware that Dad would be ashamed. He was always ashamed Mom! I never did a damn thing right. I made my bed and now I have to lie in it. I'll make sure I am out of your hair by the end of next week."

"Christopher…" She said sadly, he could hear the pain in her voice and he turned to look at her and waited for her to speak. "I just...this is not the life I pictured for you."

Christopher laughed sadly and looked down at his feet, "This isn't really the life I pictured either...I really screwed up."

"Christopher…" She whispered again as her eyes welled up with tears.

He shook his head, walked over to her and kissed the side of her face, "I'm sorry Mom. I'm really sorry…"

He turned and walked out of the living room and up the stairs to the bedroom he was staying in. He closed the door and fell onto the bed as he tried to calm himself. He had spent the last six years wondering what would have happened if he had made different choices. What if he hadn't hit Lorelai? What if he didn't whisk her away to Paris and propose? What if he had listened to his gut that night she showed up on his doorstep and realized that she wasn't over Luke?

He groaned and sat up as he stripped off his clothes and crawled into bed. It felt good to lie on a real bed. It felt good to be in a room by himself without a roommate. It felt good to be free. He never wanted to go back to prison...but he couldn't deny the fact it hurt to know she was with him. Right now in Stars Hollow...she was with him. She was married to him. They had a family and a home. And he had lost six years of his life because of them.

With another sigh, he threw the blankets up over his head and hoped that sleep would come soon. That was the only way to quiet the voices in his head…

* * *

Back in Stars Hollow, Lorelai and Luke were lying in bed close together after they had made love. Her head was resting on his chest as she looked out the window at the bright moon shining over the lake. She breathed him in as he ran his hand up and down her spine in a soothing manner.

"What are you thinking about?" Luke asked as he kissed the top of her curly head.

She sighed and turned to look at him, "It's just weird…"

"What's weird?" He asked as he brushed her hair out of her face.

She shrugged, "That for the last six years...we've been here building this life. And he was in there...locked away. We knew where he was. We knew we didn't have to worry about him. And now...now he's out there somewhere…" She said glancing back out the window.

Luke held her closer, "Where do you think he would go?"

"I suppose his Mom's…" She said softly, "Last time I talked to Sherry she said she wasn't going to be helping him."

"Is she allowing him to see Gigi?" He asked as he continued to rub her back.

"I guess so. She said she wants it to be supervised at first...she said she'd fill me in on anything important." She closed her eyes, "Rory tries to see Gigi when she can...but I don't know how that will play out now. I don't know if it will be too awkward for everyone…"

"That's going to have to be Rory's choice I guess. And they know that he can't be around if Rory is there." He said to her. "Sherry wouldn't put Rory in any danger."

"I know." Lorelai said as she turned to look at him again, "I guess there are just a lot of unknowns...I don't like feeling out of step. We have always had such a good routine since we got back together...I knew what to expect...what was needed of me. And now it feels like everything is changing again…"

"I think sticking to our usual routines is the best thing we can do right now." He said as he pulled her even closer, "April is leaving on Sunday...and Rory will be heading back to New York on Monday. Jack will start school soon...we have to get back to work. Focus on our family and our life like we always have."

"So you mean we can't continue to hide away like this?" She said with a sad smile.

He frowned and caressed her cheek, "Lorelai…"

She sighed and kissed his chest as she leaned her head over his heart again, "I know...I know you're right. It's just going to be hard. It's going to be scary to know that he's just...around. That he's not stuck behind those cement walls of the prison…"

"I'd like to believe that he wouldn't want to spend anymore time locked away." He said softly, "I'd like to think that he will stay away...move on with his life. That's what he told Rory he wanted to do…"

Lorelai nodded. "I know. I guess it will just take time to really be able to believe that…" She bit her lip nervously and glanced back up at him, "I...I'm going to try really hard to keep it together. But...the next few weeks are going to be hard. And I know...that I'm going to have really bad days…"

He nodded, "I can understand that...you need to work through this in whatever way works for you. And I'm going to be beside you every step of the way...for the good days and the bad days. That's what we agreed to when we got married…"

She sighed and closed her eyes to ward of the tears, "You just made me fall in love with you all over again."

He smiled and leaned forward to kiss her, "Well I fall in love with you more each day. And I mean it...I'm here. And I'm going to be here...no matter what."

"Hey Luke…" She whispered as she prepped kisses across his chest.

"Yes?" He asked with a smile as he tangled his hands in his hair.

She smiled and looked up at him, "I'm not tired yet…"

Luke chuckled, "These are those moments when I'm grateful for all that damn coffee you drink."

She giggled and pulled herself on top of him, "Shut up and kiss me handsome."

He smiled and cupped her face in his hands and kissed her passionately. The next few weeks we're going to be a test for all of them. But if Luke had learned anything from his past mistakes, it was that rather than push her away when he was scared, he had to hold her as close as possible. And that's what he was going to do. Because the truth was...that she wasn't the only one that was afraid. He was too...he just hid it better.

* * *

 **I have already started the new chapter and will probably finish it soon. So the sooner I get some feedback, the sooner I will upload it ;) All about motivation! Hahaha!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey guys! Couldn't sleep last night so I did a lot of writing instead. Got this chapter and half of the next one done. I will update soon.**

* * *

On Sunday morning, Lorelai was running around the house making sure that April didn't leave anything behind. She had left Elise and Jack with Rory for a bit so she could steal a few minutes away with her step-daughter. She poked her head into April's room and saw her sitting on her bed folding up some clothes to put in her suitcase.

"How's it going in here?" Lorelai asked as she slipped in the room and closed the door behind her, "Almost all packed?"

April smiled softly at her, "I think so. Need to grab the rest of my laundry out of the dryer in a few minutes. And then I should be done…"

Lorelai nodded and sat next to her on the bed, "How are you feeling?"

April shrugged, "Okay. I mean it's weird...I've been away from home before. I've moved...I've been to sleep away camps. But this feels different, ya know?"

Lorelai nodded, "Of course it does. This is a big step in your life hon. You're an adult now! It's scary and it's okay to feel scared. But no matter where you go...we're all still here for you."

April nodded back, "I know. And that means a lot…" She laughed softly, "It's crazy to think how much my life has changed already in the last six years."

"And it's just beginning…" Lorelai said giving her a smile as she squeezed her hand, "I meant what I said April. You are about to take the world by storm and I can't wait to see what amazing things you do. I'm so proud of you. Your Dad is too."

April swallowed hard, "Are you guys going to be okay?"

Lorelai scooted closer to her, "Yes. We are. You don't need to worry about a thing. Just get settled in at school...and when things calm down we will all come visit you." She paused and lowered her eyes to look at her more closely, "You know it's not too late to ask your Dad to come with you. You know he will."

April shook her head, "No...I want him here with you. It's only been a few days since Chris got out...he needs to be here."

Lorelai frowned, "You know I love you for making that decision. But I can't help but feel guilty about it."

"You shouldn't." April said shaking her head again, "Knowing he is going to be here to watch after you will be a big weight off my shoulders. I'll be able to focus on school and meeting new friends if I don't have to worry about what's going on here…"

Lorelai nodded and took a deep breath, "I understand that. But I still feel bad…"

"You'll be out to visit before you know it." April said with a smile, "And Mom already agreed to let me stay for my entire Christmas break with you guys. She's going to be out here for part of it anyway visiting family so I'll still see her. It's okay with you, right?"

"Of course it is. You know you are welcome here anytime. We love when you visit. Especially Jack and Elise. Jack is already protesting the fact that you're leaving again." She said with a smile, "He said he wants to go to your new school instead of his…"

April laughed, "I can't believe he is going to kindergarten already...doesn't seem possible."

"I know." Lorelai said with a pout, "My only little boy is growing up and will be heading to college like you before I know it…"

April smiled, "You've got a bit of time before you need to start worrying about that…"

Lorelai sighed dramatically, "But it goes by so fast...and I'm getting old."

"If you're getting old than I'm ancient." Luke said as he stepped into the room, "So stop saying that."

Lorelai glared at him playfully, "You are ancient babe."

He rolled his eyes as April laughed, "You're always so sweet with me. No wonder I married you…"

Lorelai shrugged and stuck her tongue out at him, "You knew who I was when you married me mister. Your problem not mine."

He chuckled and walked over to them, "I just talked to your Mom. She is going to meet you at the airport in New Mexico. She said she's got the rest of yourself all packed and ready for the drive out to California."

April nodded, "Sounds good."

"You're absolutely sure it's okay that I don't go?" Luke asked skeptically.

April nodded again, "Yes. I was just explaining to Lorelai that will actually make me feel a lot better knowing you are here. I want to know my family is safe...then I won't have to worry about it while I'm at school."

Luke smiled and put a hand on her shoulder, "You are going to have so much fun April. You don't have to worry about a thing here…"

April's eyes welled up with tears, "I know...but I still do."

"Aw hon…" Lorelai said scooting closer to her, "Everything is going to be fine...and I'm not just talking about this whole Christopher thing. You are going to love school...and Christmas break will be here before you know it. You'll be back home with us and you'll be begging to head back to school."

April laughed, "I don't know about that…"

"Lorelai is right...you are going to love it." Luke said leaning down to kiss the top of her head, "But you know we'll come right out there if you need us."

April swallowed hard, "I know…"

"April!" They heard Jack yell from the other side of her bedroom door, "Can I come in?"

April smiled, "Of course. Come in in buddy."

Jack swung the door open and Lorelai noticed he had his favorite stuffed animal at his side. She watched curiously as he walked over to the bed and tapped on Lorelai's knee signaling he wanted to come up. She smiled and lifted her son onto her lap, he sat facing his sister and smiled at her.

"You should take Oscar with you." He said holding out the bunny to her, "You're going to be far away from home and he'll keep you company."

April took the bunny and held it in her lap, "But Jack...he's your favorite. You sleep with him every night! I can't take him with me…"

Jack leaned against his Mom and sighed, "I'm heading to Kindergarten now...I need to be brave. I need to be a big boy."

Lorelai smiled and wrapped her arms around her son, "That's very sweet of you to offer him to April buddy...but just because you're going to Kindergarten doesn't mean you can't have him anymore. Are you sure you want her to take him?"

Jack nodded slowly, "Mhm. Because she'll be on her own and I still have you and Daddy if I get scared. I don't need him anymore."

April smiled and put the bunny on top of her bag, "Come here Jack…"

Jack crawled from his Mother's lap to his sister's and Luke stepped over to Lorelai to wrap his arm around her. He smiled happily when he watched April envelop her brother in her arms and squeeze him tight.

"I love you bud." She said against his curly dark hair, "You're the best. And I'm going to miss you."

Jack hugged her back, "Can we facetime all the time?"

April laughed, "Of course."

"And Daddy…" He turned to smile at his Dad, "Rory said there is a Disneyland near where April goes to school." He pouted like she had taught him, "Can we go there when we visit?"

Luke laughed, "I don't see why not…"

"Yes!" Jack yelled as he turned in his sister's lap, "I gotta thank Rory for teaching me the pout."

Luke shook his head as he scooped up his son and threw him over his shoulder, "Come on mister...let's go take Paul Anka out before we leave for the airport."

Lorelai smiled and stood up, "I'll get the rest of your laundry and help you finish pack."

April nodded and then called out to her again, Lorelai turned and smiled at her from the door as April whispered, "I'm going to miss you too…"

Lorelai winked at her, "Face time isn't just for Jack hon. You can talk me anytime. Day or night...I'm always here."

April smiled and gave her a small nod before turning back to her packing. Once they were all ready, Luke, April and Jack got in the truck to drive to the airport. And Rory, Elise and Lorelai followed behind them in Lorelai's car. They helped April with her bags, helped her get checked in and waited until the last possible minute to say their goodbyes.

April picked up Elise first and gave her a kiss on her chubby little cheek, "Don't grow up to much pretty girl. And don't you forget about me…"

Lorelai smirked, "I could start singing that song right now...what a classic!"

Luke rolled his eyes, "Please don't…"

She scoffed and slapped his arm, "Mean. I have a beautiful voice."

Rory chuckled and stepped up to her sister, "You have a safe flight. And have so much fun! Get yourself out there in the first few weeks, okay? That's when you'll meet the most people. Don't stress too much over classes…"

Lorelai laughed, "Because you didn't stress AT ALL."

Luke chuckled, "Seriously...you were always so calm when it came to school and grades. Never stressed for a second."

Rory glared at them both, "Would you two be quiet? I'm trying to have a sister moment here."

Lorelai and Luke stepped back with Jack and Elise and laughed, "Sorry...continue." Lorelai said with a laugh.

Rory smiled and turned back to her sister, "As I was saying...don't stress too much over classes. Remember to have fun. But not to much fun...never take a drink from a stranger or one that you have put down and walked away from."

"Or don't drink at all." Luke said under his breath from behind them.

Lorelai nudged him, "Shh…"

April smiled, "I'll try and remember to have fun."

Rory nodded and then pursed her lips, "And my final piece of advice is...don't steal any yachts."

Lorelai groaned, "Really?"

Rory turned to look at her, "Too soon?"

Lorelai laughed and walked over to them just as they finished hugging and Rory took Elise, "You are going to have so much fun." She said pulling her in for a tight hug, "But remember what I said...day or night you call me. And your Dad and I will be on the next plane out there. Okay?"

April swallowed hard as she hugged her tight, "Okay…" She sniffled as she pulled away slowly, "You're going to be okay?"

Lorelai smiled and brushed some hair out of her face, "Yes. I am. Thanks for letting me keep your Dad...I appreciate it more than you know."

April nodded and hugged her again, "Just stay safe, okay?"

"I will." Lorelai said squeezing her tight, "That goes for you too, alright?"

"I will." April said as she pulled away and wiped at her eyes, she started to cry again when she saw her Dad's face. "Dad…"

He stepped up to her and Lorelai walked back to the rest of the kids, "Be smart okay. I don't just mean book smart because I never have to worry about that with you. All those things Rory said...I agree with. And I'll add stay away from all boys because they are just too much trouble. But if you do fall for some idiot...and he breaks your heart...call me and I'll come kill him."

"Dad!" April said as she pushed him back, "God you're the worst…"

He sighed and tried to smile, "I just...I want you to be happy kid."

April swallowed hard and wrapped her arms around him tightly, "I love you Dad."

He closed his eyes and kissed the side of her face, "I love you too. Call us when you land."

"I will." She said pulling away just enough to see Jack standing beside them, "Hey little man…" She knelt down and ruffled his curls, "Man I'm gonna miss you…"

Jack frowned a little, "Can I come with you?"

April shook her head, "I'm afraid not buddy. Besides...you are going to love kindergarten! You don't' want to miss that. And I can't wait to hear all about it. I want to hear every single thing you do, okay?"

Jack sighed, "Okay…"

April pulled him in for a hug, "I love you little brother. Thanks for letting me have Oscar. He'll be safe with me."

Jack hugged her back, "Love you April…"

She squeezed her eyes tight and let him hug her for another minute before she lifted him up and handed him to her Dad. They heard her flight number being called and she gave them all a quick wave before picking up her bag and walking to the gate.

Lorelai stepped up behind Luke and put her chin on his shoulder, "You okay babe?"

He sighed, "Yeah...she's going to be okay."

Lorelai nodded and rubbed his back gently, "She's a smart kid Luke...she's got this."

He turned to look at her with a small smile, "Hey...you wanna stop at the bakery you like so much before we head home?"

She squealed with delight, "I knew there was a reason I married you!"

He chuckled, "What do you say Jack Jack? You wanna get a treat before we leave?"

"I didn't even have to pout! How cool is that!" Jack said as he clapped his hands excitedly, "Let's go Dad! What are we waiting for?"

He laughed and kissed his son's cheek before he led his family minus April back out of the airport. Things were changing but that didn't mean they wouldn't be able to handle it all. They would do it together…

* * *

The following morning, Rory pulled herself out of bed. Filled up on her fill of Rory pancakes and packed up the car before her long drive back to New York City. She said her quick goodbyes to Elise and Jack thanked Luke for keeping an eye on her Mom and then slipped off to the car to have a moment alone with her Mom.

"How are you doing?" Rory asked as she put an arm on her shoulder.

Lorelai pouted, "Just wish you lived closer so I could know that you are safe…"

Rory sighed, "I'm going to be fine Mom...he won't dare come see me. I made myself very clear when I told him I was done with him…"

Lorelai nodded, "I know you're right...but I'm your Mom. It's my job to worry. No matter how old you get...I will always worry."

Rory smiled, "I know...and that's why you're the best Mom in the world."

"I believe I have a few dozen handmade things that say that exact thing…" Lorelai said with a smirk, "So I guess you're right."

Rory smiled and pulled her closer, "You gonna be okay? I know you've had a lot of distractions lately...now will be the hard time...getting back to normal."

Lorelai nodded, "Luke says we need to get back to our normal routine...he says it will help."

Rory nodded, "I think he's right. The more normal you keep things the easier the next few weeks will be for you."

Lorelai smiled, "I don't want you worrying about things here either okay? I have Luke…"

Rory nodded, "I know. And believe me...I am very grateful for that." She took a deep breath, "You call me with any news, right?"

"Of course." Lorelai said leaning in to hug her tightly, "I love you kid."

"I love you too." Rory said giving her a tight squeeze, "Be safe okay...and try and relax."

"I will." She said kissing her cheek, "Drive safe and call me when you get there."

Lorelai pulled away and walked back to the porch as Rory pulled away. Luke smiled and walked up to her, he placed an arm around her shoulder and kissed the top of her head. "And then there were four again…"

She sighed and wrapped an arm around his waist, "I miss them both already."

Luke held her tight, "I know. I do too...but they'll be back soon. And we'll be so busy here we won't have much time to miss them."

She turned to face him slowly, "We're both going back to work tomorrow…"

Luke brushed hair out of her face, "Yep. And Jack and Elise will be with Babette until school starts for Jack."

She bit her lip nervously, "It just seems strange trying to go back to a routine…"

"I know." He said kissing her forehead gently, "But it's the best thing for us right now…"

She nuzzled his face against hers, "I don't know what I'd do without you Mr. Danes…"

"Well you're never going to have to find out. Because you're stuck with me." He said giving her hips a squeeze, "Come on...we have to crazy kids that still need us."

Lorelai smiled and let him lead her into the house, "Thank God for that…"

* * *

The following morning, Lorelai was tossing and turning in her bed. Her dreams were haunted by Christopher coming in and taking everyone she loved away from her. When her body and mind couldn't take anymore, she leapt off the bed and tried to catch her breath. She was soaked in sweat and she put a hand over her racing heart.

Turning slightly, she frowned when she saw Luke's side of the bed was empty. She threw the sheets off of her and quickly exited her room. She glanced in Elise's room first and noticed that her crib was empty. She ran to Jack's room and saw no sign of her son either.

"Luke!" She yelled in panic as she turned and ran back to the hallway, "Jack!"

She ran down the stairs and searched frantically throughout the living room. Paul Anka quickly ran to her side and barked but she ignored him and continued on her hunt of the house for her family. The tears were burning in her eyes as she tried to steady herself as she looked in room after room only to find them all empty.

"Luke!" She screamed louder as her sobs began to wrack her body.

The back door opened and Luke poked his head in, "Hey…" He stopped when he saw the fear all over her face, "Lorelai?"

She let out a breath and launched herself at him, wrapping her arms as tight as possible around his neck, "Where were you? Where are Jack and Elise? I couldn't find anyone!"

He held her close and tried his best to soothe her, "Hey...shh...I'm sorry. We're here...Jack wanted breakfast on the porch. It was still early so I didn't want to wake you up…" He felt her trembling in his arms as he tried to steady her, "Breath Lorelai...it's okay...you're okay…"

She continued to cry as she clung to him, "I had all these horrible dreams that Chris kept coming and taking you all away from me. And I couldn't do anything about it. I was just standing there screaming and you were all gone. And then I woke up and I couldn't see any of you...Oh God."

"Honey…" Luke said as he backed her further into the house to try and get her to sit, "Breath...you're going to make yourself sick."

She shook her head and clung to him harder, "Luke…"

He pulled a chair out from the kitchen table and sat her down before he went to get her a cup of water, "Drink this…"

She reluctantly took a sip of her water and then put the cup on the table, "God what is wrong with me?" She said as she put her head in her hands, "I'm losing it."

Luke knelt down in front of her and tried to pull her hands away from her face, "It's okay...I'm right here. The kids are fine. We're all fine...we knew that you were going to have some bad days. I told you I'd be right here for them, right?"

She gulped as she tried to calm herself, "I don't want the kids to see me like this…"

He sighed and nodded as he stood up, "Why don't you go upstairs and take a bath. I'll call Sookie and tell her that you need another day…"

She shook her head, "I need to get back to work. You said we need to get back to our routine…"

He knelt down again and brushed the tears out of her eyes, "Lorelai you can't go to work like this. Sookie will understand…"

She sucked in her bottom lip, "You should go to the Diner."

He shook his head, "I don't want to leave you alone like this...it would kill me."

She shook her head again, "Luke one of us has to go back to work...I'll...I'll be okay."

He sighed and readjusted the cap on his head, "Maybe your Mom can come by?"

She thought about it for a moment, "Um...I don't know if she'd want to do that."

He gave her a look before continuing, "You know she wants to help you with this...you two have gotten so close in the last few years. It would make me feel better to know she was with you anyway. And then I'll drop by after the lunch rush to check on you."

She sighed and nodded her head knowing he was right, she wasn't ready to go back to work. "Okay…"

He leaned forward and kissed the side of her face, "I love you."

She breathed him in and let him lift her up off the chair, "I love you too."

"You go upstairs and take your bath." He said brushing her hair out of her face, "I'll call your Mom. Do you want me to still bring the kids to Babette's or do you want them to stay here?"

"Here." Lorelai said holding her arms around herself, "I want them with me."

He nodded and kissed her again, "Okay. I'll call Babette then too. Go ahead. I'll be right down here if you need me."

She gave him a nervous smile and began her journey back upstairs to their bathroom. She began to fill the tub with water and waited until it was warm enough to add the bubbles. When it was ready, she slipped in and rested her head against the back of the tub and tried to will the tears to stay away. She was exhausted even though she had slept through the night. Her dreams had drained her…

After about ten minutes Luke peeked his head in the room and knelt down in front of the tub with a cup of coffee for her, "You're Mom is on her way."

Lorelai sighed and rolled her head to the side to be able to look at him better, "Okay…"

He ran a hand through her wet hair and frowned, "How are you feeling now?"

"Stupid." She said with a laugh, "Really stupid…"

He shook his head, "You shouldn't...you're entitled to your feelings Lorelai. This is a lot to handle…"

"He's been out for five days...he hasn't shown his face. Why do I still think he's out there waiting to make a move?" She said as she started to sniffle again.

He sighed again, "I think you should call your counselor again…I'll go with you if you want. But this isn't healthy for you to be getting this upset...I want to help you. But I don't think anything I say is really going to help the way you need it too."

She leaned into his hand and sighed, "I'm so sorry Luke…"

He leaned in and kissed her, "You have nothing to apologize for beautiful girl. I just...I just hate seeing you like this. It breaks my heart…"

She closed her eyes and breathed him in, "I'll call today."

He nodded and kissed her forehead again, "Thank you."

She bit her lip and nervously whispered, "What did you tell the kids?"

"I just said they were going to hang out with you and Grandma today. Believe me there was no tears shed. They are quite happy actually…" He said wiping at her tears.

She sighed and rolled her head to the back of the tub again, "Okay…"

"I can stay…" He whispered as he watched her, missing the usual smile that lit up her face, "Just say the words and I'll stay right here with you. I don't care about the damn Diner…"

She shook her head and smiled softly at him, "No...you need to go. I'll be okay here with Mom and the kids."

He sighed and nodded, "Fine. But I'm coming after lunch and closing early."

She smiled at him, "I wouldn't expect anything less from you…"

He frowned and took her soapy hand in his, "I'd do anything to make you happy...you know that right? Anything at all…"

She swallowed hard and nodded, "I know. You're not the one making me unhappy Luke...he is."

He hung his head sadly, "I know…"

She sat up slowly just enough to kiss his ear gently, "That doesn't mean I want you to go after him...don't' get any ideas."

He groaned, "I know...and I won't. But I can still wish he was dead."

She smiled against his ear and kissed it again, "I love you."

He lifted his head and leaned forward to kiss her lips, "I love you too." He stood up, handed her her coffee and winked at her, "I'm not leaving until your mom gets here. So don't rush. I got it covered downstairs."

"Thanks babe." She said lifting the mug to her lips, "You're the best."

He smiled and walked to the door before making his way back downstairs. Thirty minutes later, there was a knock on the front door and he quickly went to answer it. He smiled at Emily as she walked in he noticed she seemed frightened and anxious.

"How is she?" Emily asked as she looked around the house.

Luke sighed and put his hands in his pockets, "She's...better than she was when she woke up. She just took a bath...she'll probably be down shorty. Thank you for coming over...I know it means a lot to her. And it gives me peace of mind to know she won't be alone."

"Of course I came." Emily said smiling at him, "I've been wanting to do more...be here more for her. But truthfully I haven't known what I should say…"

Luke shook his head, "You don't have to say anything Emily...she is just happy to have you here with her." He glanced into the living room where Jack and Elise were playing, "I'll be back to check in on things after the lunch rush. And then I'm planning on closing up early. But if anything happens in between or she gets really upset again...don't hesitate to call me. I'll come right back."

Emily smiled at him, "You're a wonderful husband. Thank you for taking such good care of my daughter Luke…"

He blushed and looked down at the floor between his feet, "I just wish I could make this all go away...I hate to see her like this."

"I know." Emily said putting a gentle hand on his arm, "We all do. But she'll be okay...she'll make it through just like she always does."

He nodded slowly and then started to walk into the living room, "Hey kids, look who's here."

"Grandma!" Jack yelled as he ran to her, "What are we going to do today?"

Emily smiled and leaned into her grandson, "Anything you want to do my boy."

Luke smiled and picked up Elise, "Elise has been changed recently. They have both been fed. There's plenty of food in the fridge for snacks and lunch…" He glanced around, "You know where the stroller and everything is if you decide to go out…am I missing anything?"

Emily could tell he was finding it hard to leave when Lorelai so clearly needed him. But she also knew that it was important for them to start back into their daily life sooner rather than later. "We will be just fine Luke. Don't worry. Besides, Lorelai will be with me too."

"I'll just run up and tell her I'm leaving…" Luke whispered nervously.

"I'm right here." Lorelai said as she descended the stairs and gave him a warm smile, "Hey Mom. Thanks for coming."

Luke handed Elise to Emily and turned back to his wife, "You call me if you need me."

She smiled and put her hands on his strong arms, "I will."

He squinted his eyes at her, "I can still stay…"

She shook her head and leaned up to kiss him, "Go. I'm okay. I promise…"

He sighed and kissed her back, "I'll be back soon."

She nodded quickly and pushed him back slightly, "We'll be here…"

He leaned in, gave her one more quick kiss and said his goodbye's to Elise and Jack. He said thank you to Emily and quickly left the house before he could change his mind. Lorelai took a deep breath and looked around the room trying to think of something to say.

"Have you eaten yet?" Emily asked her daughter as she watched her and tried to gage her emotions.

Lorelai shook her head, "I'm not that hungry actually…"

Emily nodded, "Well it's a beautiful day...we could go play down by the lake."

Lorelai smiled, "I'd like that. What do you think Jack Jack? Is that a good idea?"

"Yeah!" He said excitedly, "I'm going to go get ready."

Lorelai smiled and scooped up Elise to put her in her bathing suit. Emily called after her that she would get some drinks for the kids for them to take. Twenty minutes later they were walking through the backyard down to the water and setting up by the edge. Jack loved to play at the water's edge and throw little pebbles and sticks into the water to see how far they could go. Lorelai sat down and set up Elise between her legs as she tried to breath in the fresh air and keep herself calm again.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Emily asked softly as she watched her grandson.

Lorelai sighed and reached for Elise's hat to put on her head, "I'm just afraid…"

"That he will come after you?" Emily asked as she finally turned towards her daughter.

Lorelai shook her head, "Not really. To be honest...I don't care if he does. I'll deal with that. It's if he goes after anyone else in my family...that's what I'm afraid of."

Emily pursed her lips and looked back out at the water, "When you were very young...your Nanny and I took you to the grocery store. I was having a big dinner party and I wanted to make sure that we didn't forget anything you needed. I doubt you even remember this...but I let go of your hand for a moment and you began to talk to the man in the Bakery. When I turned back around...you were gone."

Lorelai frowned, "I don't remember that…"

Emily smiled, "You couldn't have been more than two...I swear my heart stopped. The place was packed that day and I didn't see you anywhere. I remember I started running all over the place...left my wallet and purse hanging out for anyone to take. But I didn't care. I needed to find you. I was screaming...people probably thought I was crazy."

Lorelai pulled her daughter close and kissed the top of her head, "Mom…"

"It was probably only two minutes total that you were gone...but I swear it felt like years." She laughed slightly to herself as she turned back to Lorelai, "And then I found you...with your hand in one of the penny candy holders."

Lorelai blushed, "Go figure...should have been the first place you looked."

Emily laughed, "Yes well...the point is it scared me half to death thinking that something had happened to you. Despite our past...anytime you have been in pain has killed me. Especially when you left with Rory…" She swallowed hard and looked down at her hands, "I know I made a lot of mistakes with you...and I regret that. But I thought I was doing the right thing...I thought I was just protecting you." She frowned, "Turns out I was pushing you towards the one man that would hurt you the most…"

Lorelai sighed, "Mom...none of us could have predicted that Christopher would do something like this. It's not anyone's fault…"

Emily glanced back up, "I know...but it still hurts to see you in such pain. As your Mother I wish I could take it all away. I wish I could make him pay for what he has done…"

Lorelai it her lip and glanced over at her son, "I know what you meant about wanting to protect me...I look at Elise and Jack...even April and Rory and I just wish…" She choked back a sob and tried to keep her composure, "I just wish I could keep them in this little bubble. I wish I could make sure that nothing bad ever happens to them...I don't want their hearts to be broken. I want to know that they will always safe. Because they are so special...and they deserve nothing but the absolute best."

"So do you." Emily said swallowing hard, "And I know it's hard...but unfortunately pain is part of life sometimes. At some point...they will feel that pain. And it will kill you...but you'll make it through because as a family you are so strong."

Lorelai nodded, "Hey Mom?"

Emily smiled at her and nodded, "Yes?"

"Thank you for being here...it means a lot to me. It makes it a little easier…" She said reaching over to take her hand, "And I just...I want you to know that I appreciate you. And I love you."

Emily swallowed hard and squeezed her daughter's hand, "I love you too Lorelai...I always have."

Lorelai smiled and wiped a tear away. Elise turned and took her Mother's face in her hands and gave her a sloppy kiss on the lips making both Emily and Lorelai laugh, "Aww thank you baby girl. I love you too. Yes I do." She said tickling her side.

"Love." Elise said as she giggled and nuzzled her Mother.

Lorelai took a deep breath and looked back at her son who was laughing as he played and reminded herself that her life was good. And despite all the bumps in the road, she had made it to this very moment in time. No matter what came next, her mother was right. Her family was strong and they would handle it together.

* * *

A little after six, Lorelai and Emily were sitting on the back porch with Elise and Jack as they ate their dinner. Lorelai smiled when she heard Luke's truck pull into the driveway and his familiar footsteps rounding the porch. She took a deep breath and noticed how her body began to relax when she finally saw him walking towards her.

"Hey…" She whispered as he leaned down to kiss her.

Luke smiled and gave her a wink before he turned back to the kids, "How's dinner guys?"

"Good! Mommy makes good mac and cheese!" Jack said through a large mouthful of food.

Luke chuckled, "I taught her how to stir things…"

Lorelai rolled her eyes, "Shush…"

He smiled and sat down next to her on the open seat, "Sookie came by the Diner. She said you can take tomorrow off too if you want."

Lorelai shook her head, "No...I need to get back to work. I can't hide here forever...it will become too easy to do."

He nodded, "Well only if you are sure…" He cleared his throat nervously, "Did you make an appointment?"

She smiled at him, "Yes. I'm going on Thursday after work."

Luke nodded, "Good. That's good. Do you want me to come with you?"

"You can drop the kids off at our house if you want." Emily said with a shrug, "Or your Dad and I can come here."

"Mom I can't ask you to give up another night for me…" Lorelai said with a frown.

Emily rolled her eyes, "Nonsense. I want to take care of them. Besides...I was thinking...your anniversary is this weekend."

Lorelai's eyes widened, "Oh wow...I honestly almost completely forgot." She turned back to Luke with a frown, "Sorry...that sounded bad."

He laughed and shook his head, "It's okay...you've been preoccupied. I'll forgive you this once."

"Why don't you let the kids stay with us for a night? You two could use some time alone…" Emily said with a shrug, "Besides your Dad and I love having them over."

Lorelai bit her lip, "You're sure?"

"I promise they will be quite safe with us." Emily said smiling at her, "You should do this for yourself Lorelai…"

Lorelai glanced back at Luke, "Well...what do you think?"

He smiled and leaned his elbows against his knees, "You know that I'm always happy to spend time with just you. But if you aren't ready for that yet...then we can wait and celebrate another time. Whatever you want to do is fine with me."

Lorelai took a deep breath, "It would be nice…"

He smiled and brushed her hair aside, "So does that mean you want to do it?"

Lorelai glanced back at her Mom, "You're absolutely sure?"

Emily nodded, "Absolutely."

Lorelai smiled, "Okay. Let's do it…"

Luke smiled and leaned forward to kiss her temple, "Do you want us to bring them to you? Or would you rather stay here?"

Emily was quiet for a moment, "Well actually...would you feel more comfortable with them being here? Christopher is in Hartford…"

Lorelai bit her lip as she felt her pace quicken, "I didn't even think about that…"

Luke put a hand on her back and rubbed soothing circles, "So then why don't you guys come here? We don't have to go out for the entire night...just for a few hours."

"You could stay at the Inn." Emily said with a shrug, "Or don't you have the bed still at your old apartment?"

Luke nodded, "I do…"

Lorelai smiled and turned to smile at her husband, "You can take me to Sniffys and then back to the old apartment…"

Luke smiled as he remembered their very first date, "Is that what you want to do?"

She leaned forward and kissed him gently, "Yes please…"

Luke smiled and kissed her back, "Then it sounds like a plan to me…"

Lorelai smiled and turned back to her Mom, "Thanks Mom...not just for that. But for today too...for everything."

Emily smiled and began to stand up, "Anytime Lorelai...it was a great day with my beautiful grandchildren and daughter." She leaned over and kissed Elise's head and then Jack, "I'll see you both on Friday okay? We'll have a sleepover!"

Jack smiled, "Can we make ice cream sundaes?"

"I don't see why not!" Emily said smiling at him, "And I know for a fact that Grandpa will have no objection to that."

Jack smiled, "That's gonna be awesome!"

Emily laughed and kissed him again, "Yes it will be sweet boy. See you in a few days. Be good for Mommy and Daddy."

Emily turned to her daughter and held out her arms, Lorelai stood up and gave her a hug, "Thanks Mom."

She gave her a squeeze, "You call me if you need me to come back tomorrow, okay?"

Lorelai smiled, "I will. Thanks."

Luke smiled and leaned forward to give his mother-in-law a hug, "Thank you Emily…"

"It was my pleasure." She said hugging him back, "Now take care of my girl…"

Luke put his arm around Lorelai and smiled, "That's the plan…"

Emily gave them all a wave and then walked around the porch to the front yard and out to her car. Lorelai sighed and turned in his arms to give him a proper hug which he gladly reciprocated.

"How are you feeling now?" He asked rubbing her back, "Any better?"

"It was good to have my Mom here…" Lorelai said as she pulled away, "I think I'm just going to have to take this one day at a time…" She smiled up at him, "It helps to have something to looking forward to...Friday will be nice."

He smiled at her, "Yes it will be...we can recreate our very first date."

She beamed up at him, "It was a really great first date…"

"I couldn't agree more." He said leaning forward to kiss her, "I hope you know I plan on ending the night the same way we did back then…"

She smiled and pecked his lips, "Of course…"

He caressed her cheek softly, "You eat yet?"

"No. I was waiting for you." She said with a small smirk.

"You mean you were waiting for me to cook for you, right?" He asked with a laugh.

She pouted softly, "Yes…"

He laughed and kissed her again, "There's food in the car...I didn't bring it in in case you were already eating."

She smiled and kissed him gently, "Best husband ever."

He smiled and patted her behind as she walked out to the car, "You remember that." He watched her walk away and was happy to see the smile once again on her face, he sat next to Elise and kissed the top of her head, "And how are my favorite kiddos?"

"Did you bring any pie?" Jack asked as he pushed his bowl into the middle of the table.

Luke laughed as he shook his head in disbelief, "God you are so much like your Mother…"

"So is that a yes?" Jack asked as he turned his head to the side.

Luke opened his mouth to speak but he could hear Lorelai yell, "Jack! Daddy brought us pie!"

"Yes!" Jack yelled as he jumped down from his seat, "I hope we still have whipped cream!"

Luke could only laugh as he lifted his daughter from her seat and stared at her, "Please don't inherit their ridiculous eating habits…"

"Ows cream." Elise said as she reached out to him with her sticky fingers.

Luke rolled his eyes, "Oh fine...come on you…"

Luke lifted his daughter and walked into the house and smiled to himself. This was exactly where he was supposed to be…

* * *

 **Okay! I will get to work on finishing the next chapter asap! It will be uploaded tomorrow or Friday at the latest :)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Once again, thanks for the reviews :) Much appreciated. Here is the next chapter. Will try and write more today or tomorrow.**

* * *

That Friday, Lorelai was at work trying to get back into the swing of things. She had gone to work the last three days and for the most part...she was okay. There had been a few moments of panic which resulted in her calling Babette way more times than necessary to check in. Luke had even driven to the Inn in the middle of rush hour just to give her a little help to make it through the day on Thursday.

It was close to quitting time and she was standing by the front desk going through the reservations for the weekend. She was ticking things off on her checklist when Sookie walked up to her and gave her a slight smile.

"Hey honey. How are you doing?" Sookie asked as she leaned against the desk.

Lorelai sighed softly, "I'm okay...no major freak outs today. So that's an improvement, right?"

Sookie smiled, "I'd say so. How did it go yesterday at your appointment? I didn't want to ask earlier…"

Lorelai shrugged, "It was fine. It was good to have Luke there with me...he's been so sweet. She basically just said that we need to try and keep our schedules as normal as possible. She said we needed to acknowledge our emotions and fears...and that the only way to handle this is one day at a time."

Sookie nodded, "But you haven't heard anything from him, right?"

Lorelai shook her head, "Nope. Rory hasn't either so that's good. My Mom said she heard he is with Francine and is trying to find a job. I don't know if he will stay in the Hartford area…"

"It's not like he really needs the money." Sookie said with a frown, "He's a trust fund baby...why does he even need a job?"

Lorelai sighed, "I don't know...I mean maybe six years of doing nothing has made him want to do something…"

"Maybe." Sookie said with an eye roll, "He was never really a hard worker before...I don't see why he would now."

Lorelai frowned, "Who knows...I don't care what he does with his life as long as he stays the hell away from me."

Sookie smiled, "I know...but you know what? Let's not think about him. Let's think about your date tonight with your handsome man!"

Lorelai smiled and leaned her elbows against the desk, "I brought all my stuff here to get ready. My parents are picking up the kids at Babette's and he is picking me up here."

"It is going to be fabulous!" Sookie said with a smile.

"Oh Sookie...I knew I loved that man. But lately...God he has just been so amazing. He's been so sweet and kind...he's been there for every minute of this ya know? I don't know what I would do without him...I'd be totally falling apart." Lorelai said with a sigh.

"He loves you." Sookie said smiling at her, "He's always loved you…"

Lorelai swallowed hard, "It's crazy...this whole thing has brought up so many memories ya know? It still amazes me that back then...when Chris…" She sighed and looked down, "I don't know how Luke ever forgave me...I don't know how he dropped everything and came to my side. I'll never be able to thank him for that…"

"Honey…" Sookie said reaching for her hand, "Things happen...you both made mistakes. He realized that. But he also realized he couldn't live without you. And you guys have such a wonderful life now...don't dwell on the past. If you do...Chris wins."

Lorelai nodded slowly, "I know you're right…"

"You're going to go out tonight with your husband and have a fabulous time. You have been married for six years to that man...enjoy every second you have with him." She said giving her hand a squeeze.

Lorelai smiled happily, "It's going to be pretty romantic...just like our first date."

Sookie smiled, "I can't wait to hear all the juicy details."

Lorelai giggled, "You're bad…"

Sookie rolled her eyes, "We tell each other everything. So you can pretend you don't want to tell me everything but we both know you will…"

Lorelai was quiet for a moment and then huffed, "You're right…"

"Are you gonna wear something slutty?" Sookie asked with a twinkle in her eyes.

"Well I did buy a new black dress just for the occasion. Low cut and short to show off the legs which we both know he loves…" Lorelai said with her signature hair flip.

"Oh he'll be drooling." Sookie said with a laugh, "Poor guy won't know what hit him."

Lorelai shrugged, "What can I say? I want him to remember why he married be six years ago."

"Trust me...he knows." Sookie said squeezing her hand, "I'm gonna head back to the kitchen. Say goodbye before you leave, okay?"

Lorelai smiled, "I will. Thanks for being such a good friend Sook."

Sookie gave her a small smile and then turned to walk back to the kitchen. Lorelai glanced at the clock and saw that she had another half hour before she could head home. She smiled to herself and started counting down the minutes until she could see her husband.

* * *

In Hartford Christopher came home after another disappointing day of trying to find a job. He tried all his old connections but they all knew where he had been for the last six years and were less than willing to hire him. He flung the front door open and cried out in frustration as he threw his resume on the floor.

"Christopher?" Francine asked as she walked into the the foyer, "What's wrong?"

"How the hell am I supposed to move on with my life if I can't find a job?" Christopher yelled, "No one will hire me! They all ask what have been doing in the last six years since my last job...they don't react to kindly when I say I was in prison."

"Well I am sure that something will turn up." Francine said trying to remain positive.

He scoffed, "Nothing is going to show up. And you know it! In the kind of world I have always worked in prison doesn't go well with dinner parties and champagne toasts."

"Christopher you have to remain positive." Francine said trying to smile at him.

"Mom! Stop! God just stop!" He said feeling frustrated, "I can't listen to you right now."

"Well why are you even worrying about this? We have plenty of money. To be honest you don't really ever have to work again." She said with a shrug.

But as soon as the words left her mouth she knew it was the wrong thing to say, "So what...my life is just over? I've already lost six years of time! I can't just sit in this damn house for the rest of my life doing nothing! I'm going crazy here! I can't see Gigi unless I have someone there to supervise me. My other daughter wants nothing to do with me and would rather that I was dead! What kind of life is this? I might as well just kil-"

"Don't you dare finish that sentence!" Francine yelled as she put a hand over her lips, "Don't you dare! That's the coward's way out! And you are my son. Your father has already left me...you will not leave me too."

Christopher sighed and looked down at the floor, "I'm sorry...I shouldn't have said that. I'm just so...I'm so angry. And I feel so stupid…"

"You made a mistake." She said as she stepped into him forever, "People have made much worse mistakes. We have to believe that things will get better…"

Christopher nodded his head and tried to smile, "I know. You're right…" He sighed and looked back at the front door, "I just need some air...I think I'm going to go for a drive."

Francine frowned, "Are you alright?"

He nodded and reached out to give her hand a squeeze, "Yeah. Yeah...just a rough day. I'll cool off and come right home, okay?"

She nodded slowly, "Alright. I'll make sure dinner is ready."

He smiled at her, "Great. Thanks...be back in a bit."

He turned and walked out the front door and back out to his car. He turned the key and backed out of the driveway but had no real destination in mind...he just needed to get the hell out of his Mother's house.

* * *

Back at the Inn, Lorelai was up in one of the vacant rooms and was putting the finishing touches on her make up. She looked at herself in the long mirror and tried to calm the nerves coursing through her body. She had to laugh at herself, this was how she felt on their very first date. So much had happened since then...she didn't need to be nervous about being with her husband.

She was trying to tame her curls when she heard her phone ring, she smiled when she saw Rory's name on the front, "Hello sweet child of mine!"

 _"Someone sounds happy." Rory said with a smile, "Are you excited for tonight?"_

"You mean am I excited to have some alone time with my sexy husband? Why yes I am. I am very, very excited. If you know what I mean…" Lorelai said with a giggle.

 _"Okay try and remember I'm your daughter not Sookie. As happy I am that you're' happy...I don't need to hear all the details, okay?" Rory said with a laugh._

"Sorry kid. It just feels nice to be excited about something right now. The last week or two has been stressful...and being able to go out and just be Lorelai for a night sounds so wonderful to me." She said with a content sigh.

 _"I'm glad. It's crazy to think you guys have already been married for six years. It's gone by so fast." Rory said, "And so much has changed."_

"I know." Lorelai said with a smile, "It really is crazy to think about. But I love my life. Despite all this other stuff going on...I feel really lucky."

 _"We do have a very amazing family." Rory said with a smile, "I don't want to keep you from getting ready...Luke will be there soon."_

"Yes he will. Grandma and Grandpa already called, they have the kids at the house. I'm sure they will have a great time." She said with a smile.

 _"I'm sure they will. You have fun tonight, okay? Try and relax and just enjoy your time with your husband. Don't worry about a thing." Rory said._

"I'll try hon. I'll call you tomorrow, okay?" Lorelai said as she stood up to look in the mirror again.

 _"Sounds good. But remember to keep the yucky details to yourself alright? Love you Mom. Say hi to Luke for me." She said with a smile._

"I will. Love you hon. Talk to you later." She hung up the phone and pressed her dress down over her legs just as there was a knock on her door.

Lorelai opened it and smiled when she saw Sookie, "Hey!"

"Look at you!" Sookie said with a smile, "Give me a twirl!"

Lorelai laughed and spun around, "You like?"

"Yes. And Luke is going to love it." She said clapping her hands, "Speaking of which...he is waiting downstairs for you."

Lorelai smiled happily and grabbed her bag, "Well...I guess I'll see you tomorrow Sook. Don't wait up for me." She said with a wink.

Sookie smiled, "Go have fun Lorelai. You deserve it."

Lorelai smiled gave her a wave and then walked down the hallway to the stairs. At the top she stopped, took a deep breath and held the bannister as she walked down the stairs in her heels. She smiled when she saw Luke standing in the doorway with flowers in his hand and a huge smile plastered on his face.

"Hi handsome." She said as she reached the base of the stairs, "Are those for me?"

"They are." He said with a nod as he leaned in to kiss her cheek, "Happy Anniversary."

She pulled the flowers close and smelled them, "Mmm...thank you babe. Happy Anniversary to you too. These are beautiful."

"Not as beautiful as you." He said running a hand up her arm which made her shiver, "Did you pick out that dress just to kill me?"

She giggled, "No...I picked it out to make you happy."

He smirked, "Yes I'm quite happy." He leaned forward to kiss her, "I saw the kids before I left. They were excited to be with your parents. I told them to call us if they need anything...but they said they won't."

She smiled and leaned into him, "They know I need sometime with you…"

"We have all night." Luke said running a hand through her curls, "You ready?"

"Born ready babe." She said looping her arm with his, "Let's go!"

Luke led her out to the truck and helped her into the front seat giving her bottom a little squeeze earning him a giggle and a playful slap to the chest. He drove them to Sniffy's and opened the door for her, he glanced over to see her face when she realized that they were the only people there.

"Luke?" She asked as she glanced over at him curiously.

He smiled, "I called in a little favor...we have the place to ourselves tonight."

Her face brightened and she kissed his cheek, "You're amazing."

"I wanted tonight to be special." He said with a shrug as he blushed and looked down, "I wanted you to have a night to relax…"

She sighed happily and leaned against him, "Luke Danes...will you marry me?"

He chuckled, "Yes. But I'm not sure how my wife will feel about it…"

She laughed and kissed him softly, "Thank you for being you."

He winked at her and lead her to their usual table which had candles in the middle and champagne resting in ice waiting for them. "After you…" He said as he put his arm out for her to scoot into the seat.

She slid to her spot and smiled as he joined her, "Where are Maize and Bud?"

He turned to the side, "Well-"

"We're here!" Maize said as she walked in and leaned over to hug Lorelai, "Happy Anniversary you two!"

Lorelai smiled up at her, "Thank you. And thank you for closing the place for us! I feel bad that you are missing out on business…"

Maize shook her head, "Don't worry about that. We are happy to do this for you two. You're our best customers." She smiled and her face softened, "How are you sweetie? We heard about what's going on…"

Lorelai took a deep breath, "I'm okay...doing much better with the help of this guy." She said smiling at Luke as she took his hand. "I'd be lost without him."

Maize smiled, "Well he's a hell of a guy…"

Lorelai nodded, "Yes he is...I'm very lucky."

Maize nodded and turned to Luke, "I know you don't like champagne but it's your anniversary so you have to drink it…"

Luke laughed, "I think I can handle it for tonight."

"Great. Don't' bother ordering...we already have the menu all planned out." She said with a smile, "It will be out soon."

"Thanks Maize." Lorelai said as the woman walked back to the kitchen, she sighed and scooted closer to him "Hey…"

He smiled at her and took her hand, "Hey there…"

"Wanna know a secret?" She said as she leaned further into him.

"If you're about to tell me you're leaving me for Kirk...then no I don't want to hear a secret." He said with a smirk.

She laughed and put her arm on his chest, "Luke!"

He shook his head, "Oh sorry...just wanted to see you smile. I've missed that smile lately…"

She sighed and nodded, "I know...I'm sorry. I'm trying."

He gave her hand a squeeze, "I know you are. And I've told you that you don't have to apologize...this is all a lot to handle." He leaned forward and gave her a gentle kiss, "But what did you want to tell me?"

Lorelai smiled and squeezed his hand back, "Remember when you asked if I was scared on our first date? After you showed me the horoscope?"

Luke nodded and traced her jaw with his finger, "Yes...what about it?"

She took a deep breath, "I had this moment sitting there...when I thought...run Lorelai. Don't let him see the real you...he won't want you. He'll be disappointed…"

He frowned and cupped her face in his hands, "Lorelai…"

She shook her head and continued, "But then I looked back at you...and for the first time in my life I didn't want to run. I wanted to be right here with you...I wanted you to take me home so I could show you how all in I was. I think I started falling in love with you that very night…"

He took a deep breath and stared into her eyes for a moment, "You could never disappoint me. You know that right?"

She pouted, "I think I have disappointed you a lot over the years...I've hurt you."

He shook his head, "We made mistakes...but we're here now. That's all that matters. But...I am damn glad you didn't run that night. I was terrified telling you about how I felt...showing you the horoscope felt like I was handing my heart to you…"

She leaned in and nuzzled his face, "You still have that horoscope, right?"

"Of course I do. I've gotten new wallets over the years...but that will always stay in there." He said with a smile, "I like to look at it sometimes…to remind myself how far we've come."

She took a deep breath and kissed him gently, "Six years ago...you gave me everything I ever wanted Luke. And then you gave me even more when we had our babies...I never imagined my life could be this good. Thank you…"

He smiled at her, "Sometimes it's still hard to realize your my wife...that you actually said yes. That you wanted me…"

She smiled softly at him, "Luke...I will always want you. You will never have to question that."

He breathed a sigh of relief, "That's good...that's really good."

Maize and Bud came over to the table with plates in their hands as the placed them in front of them. "Hey! This is exactly what we had at our wedding!" Lorelai said in shock.

"We called Sookie." Bud said with a smile, "We wanted to make tonight special for you."

"Thank you!" Lorelai said beaming up at them, "This is so sweet of you…"

"There's even a little cake for later…" Maize said with a smile, "So don't fill up to much."

"You don't have to worry about that with her…" Luke said with a laugh, "I'll never understand where she packs it all away…"

"They will do studies on me someday." Lorelai said as she picked up her fork. "And then all answers will be revealed. Until then though...I'm going to enjoy all the food I can shove in my mouth!"

Luke groaned, "You can tell why I married her...she's so sweet…"

Lorelai stuck her tongue out at him, "You'd be lost without me."

"Oh he knows it…" Maize said patting his shoulder, "Holler if you need anything else!" She said as she she walked back to the kitchen with Buddy in tow.

Lorelai smiled at her husband, "Hey handsome...wanna a bite?" She asked holding her fork out to him piled high with food.

He laughed, "I thought that was only for the cake part…"

She shrugged, "Tonight I wanna be adorable and annoyingly cliche. Work with me. Make me smile."

Luke rolled his eyes, "You're nuts…"

She giggled and fed him, "And yet you love me…"

"You bet I do." He said giving her a wink as they began to eat.

Later that night, Luke parked the truck beside the Diner and walked around to help Lorelai out of the truck. She smiled, gave him a kiss on the cheek and walked hand in hand with him to the Diner. She took her spot at the counter and smiled when he went to get her some coffee.

"Just like the first night." Lorelai said with a smile as he slid the mug across to her, "My heart is pounding just like it did then…"

Luke smiled at her, "You surprised the hell out of me when you led me upstairs…"

She blushed and looked down at her hands, "To be honest...it wasn't part of the plan. I figured we'd wait a little…" She took a sip of her coffee, "But you had made me feel so comfortable all night...and I thought about the horoscope. I kept thinking about how long I had known you...and how amazing you had always been to me." She glanced up at him with tears in her eyes, "I didn't want to wait any longer…"

He nodded slowly and leaned across the counter, "I would have waited forever if you needed me too…"

She smiled and leaned her forehead against his as the tears welled up in her eyes, "Which only makes me want you more…"

He frowned, "Hey...no tears." He said lifting his hand to wipe her tears away, "I don't want you to be sad…"

She shook her head and leaned into his hand, "I'm not sad Luke...I'm just so in love with you. And so grateful that we're here...that I have you beside me." She licked her lips and shook her head, "I've been so scared the last few weeks...but having you beside me has been what keeps me going."

He sighed and kissed her gently, "I'm so in love with you too Lorelai...even after all these years. I love you more now than I ever did...and we're going to get through all this."

She nodded and pulled away as she stepped off her stool, "I know. Now...take me upstairs husband. I want to show you how much I love you…"

He smiled, turned off the coffee pot and flipped the light before he took her hand and lead her up the stairs to the apartment. They walked hand in hand through the door and Lorelai smiled as she looked around. Many of his things were at their new house, but something's still stayed the same. She smiled over at the bed in the corner that she had spent so many nights on with him.

She pulled at his suit jacket and let him walk her backwards towards the bed, "I knew it was a good idea to keep this up here…"

Luke smiled as she pushed the jacket down his arms, "It definitely was a very good idea…" He said reaching behind her to pull down her zipper, "We should probably sneak up here more often...maybe a little afternoon delight when you come in for lunch."

She giggled as she cupped his face in her hands, "I could be more than okay with that."

He pushed her dress down her body and groaned when he saw she had no bra or panties on, "Seriously? You've had nothing on underneath all night...the whole time you were sitting beside me at dinner?"

She shrugged and smiled devilishly at him, "After six years of marriage...I still have to have a few surprises up my sleeves to keep you on your toes."

Luke growled and lifted her up making her laugh as he placed her down on the bed. He lay over her and didn't hold back as he showered her with all the love he had to give her. Tonight was about making her happy...making her feel safe. And that was exactly what he was going to do.

* * *

The following morning, Jack and Elise were up early which meant Emily and Richard were up early too. But they didn't mind. They loved every second they got to spend with their grandchildren. Jack was jumping up and down on the couch as Emily tried to clean up some of their toys.

"Grandma! Can we go to the park today?" He asked as he continued to hop.

Emily smiled, "I don't see why not. Hey...why don't we go to the park where your school will be. You'll be starting in a few days! You must be getting excited."

Jack jumped one more time and then fell onto the couch with a pout, "I don't want to go to Kindergarten…"

Emily frowned and sat beside him, "How come? You loved preschool, didn't you?"

Jack sighed, "I did. But I didn't have to go all day! I'm going to miss Mom to much. I want to stay here with her and Elise…"

Emily smiled and put a hand on her arm, "Oh Jack...you know Mommy loves to spend time with you too. But she's going to be at work...and Elise will be with her sometimes at the Inn and sometimes with Babette. Just like when you were a baby."

Jack sighed and put his chin on his hands, "But what if I'm not smart like April and Rory?"

Emily frowned, "Oh now Jack...you are a very smart little boy. And that's what you go to school for...to learn more! You are going to have a great time and meet lots of new friends!"

Jack smiled and looked over at her, "You really think so?"

"I know so." Emily said leaning in to kiss his cheek, "Now let's go get Grandpa and Elise and head to the park. It's a beautiful day!"

Jack smiled and jumped off the couch, "Let's go!"

Emily smiled, grabbed his coat and went to follow him into the kitchen.

* * *

Christopher Hayden rolled over in bed, he had not gone home last night. He had driven around and around trying to clear his head but only seemed to get angrier. He had checked into a hotel and spent the night raiding the mini bar and even heading to the local package store to stock up some more.

His head was pounding as he tried to sit up. He groaned, looked around and frowned when he saw the status of his pathetic life. He was hungover and sleeping in a cheap hotel. How the hell had this happened? Suddenly the anger was back.

Where was Lorelai right now? It was Saturday which meant she probably wasn't at the Inn. So she was probably at home...with Luke and their kids. They were probably having breakfast together...they'd go to some stupid festival in town together. They had it made. They had the life he was supposed to have with Lorelai. And instead he had spent the last six years stuck in a jail cell while they had been able to be free and happy.

He clenched his jaw, tossed the blankets aside and jumped out of bed. He quickly changed into his clothes from the day before, grabbed his coat and wallet and headed back out to the car. He didn't have a plan...but he knew that he needed to see their perfect life for himself.

* * *

Lorelai rolled over in bed and smiled when she remembered where they were. Last night was the first night in two weeks she had slept soundly. She rolled over and smiled when she saw that Luke was already wide awake and smiling at her.

"Hey…" She whispered as she scooted closer and rested her head on his chest.

Luke kissed the top of her head and ran his hand down her back, "Hey. How'd you sleep?"

Lorelai took a deep breath and wrapped her arm around his waist, "I slept better than I have in weeks…"

Luke smiled and kissed the top of her head, "I'm glad." He looked at the clock, "What time do you think we have to head back?"

Lorelai sighed and nuzzled him, "My mom said not to rush...we can hang out for a bit longer."

Luke nodded and continued to massage her back, "You want to run down to the Diner for some coffee? I brought some clothes over for both of us to change into. I brought an extra flannel incase you want to give the Diner another show…"

She started to laugh as she rested her forehead against his chest, "Luke! I told you never to bring that up again!"

He chuckled and pinched her side playfully, "I have never been able to wear that flannel again...you stole it after that."

She smiled and leaned up to look at him, "You've never complained…"

He smirked and rubbed her cheek gently, "Of course I haven't complained. You look good in my shirt...much better than me."

She rolled her eyes, "I don't agree with that. I prefer you in the flannel babe...my handsome lumberjack, Diner man!"

Luke rolled his eyes. "Lord help me…"

She smiled and sat up as she brought the sheet around her, "I would like some coffee though...but you probably don't have the old coffee maker anymore do you?"

Luke smiled, "I dug it out of the closet yesterday and cleaned it out. I put some food in the fridge too...just in case we had time."

Lorelai leaned down to kiss him, "You're an angel…"

Luke smiled and glanced over at the clock, "How much do you need that coffee? Think you can wait a bit…"

She smirked at him and lay back on the bed, "I don't know...what could tempt me more than coffee?"

He smiled, leaned up to her ear and whispered exactly what he wanted to do with her in her ear before he pulled away, "That tempting enough?"

Lorelai squealed with delight as she pulled him closer and quickly forgot all about that coffee…

* * *

Back at the park, Emily was watching as Elise played in the sandbox. Jack was running around with one of his friends as Richard joined his wife on the bench.

"Do you think Lorelai and Luke had fun?" Richard asked as he put his arm around her shoulder.

"I hope so. They needed some time alone…" Emily said as she watched her granddaughter, "I've been worried about Lorelai...she's been so sad."

Richard sighed and nodded, "I know. I talked to Luke yesterday...he said that her appointment went well. They were going to try and go again in a week or two. It will probably be good for them to be able to sort through all of their emotions about this."

Emily nodded, "I have been wanting to call Francine…"

Richard shook his head, "Don't open that can of worms Emily. If we try and make any contact he will think that it's his way in…"

Emily sighed, "I know...I guess I just wanted to hear what he was doing. I want to know that he's busy and focussed on other things besides Lorelai…"

Richard nodded, "I know that it's hard...but we have to stay strong for Lorelai. We need to be there for her and help with the kids. We need to stay away from Christopher Hayden…"

Emily nodded, "You're right…"

Richard smiled and kissed her head, "Everything will be just fine Emily." He glanced around and noticed Doose's was close, "I'm going to run over and get us some waters. Keep an eye on the kids. I'll be right back."

Emily gave him a wave and glanced over and smiled as she saw Jack playing tag with his friends. She turned back to Elise and watched her scoop the sand up and throw it over her shoulder. Richard was right...they had to be strong for their daughter despite how scared she was for all of them.

* * *

Chris wasn't even sure how he made it to Stars Hollow but he did. He was glad he was in a rental car because no one would recognize him in it. He grabbed a hat in the back seat, threw it on top of his head and parked the car. He glanced to the left and grimaced when he saw the Diner.

He knew better than to waltz in there and show his face, he knew Luke would come after him. And as tempting as it was to provoke Luke, Christopher wasn't in the mood. He just wanted to see their life...he wanted to see what Lorelai had without him.

He began walking the familiar streets of Stars Hollow and kept his eyes low so he wouldn't make eye contact with anyone. It had been six years, but he knew that in this small town he would be recognized easily if he let anyone really see him. As he walked, he stopped dead in his tracks when he suddenly saw Richard walking into Doose's market.

He swallowed hard and stepped back into the shadows, his heart was pounding. If Richard was close by...that most likely meant Emily was in town too. His feet started moving away from the market. He had no destination in mind, he just wanted to get as far away from Richard as possible. Richard's warning about hurting his daughter again was ringing in his ear...and he wanted to put as much distance between them as he could.

Before he knew it, he had made it to the nearby school and saw many kids running around. He spotted Emily sitting on a bench with a baby and his heart sank. That had to be Lorelai and Luke's daughter...he swallowed hard and glanced around wondering if their son was there too. There were lots of kids there that day and he didn't know how he would be able to figure out who was theirs.

And then...he spotted a little boy with a backwards blue baseball cap on his head. He took a deep breath and walked over to him without thinking about what he was doing. "Hey…" He said to the boy.

Jack turned and looked up, he recognized this man's face, "Hey! Are you Christopher?"

Chris was surprised that he knew his name, "Um...yeah. How did you know that?"

"You're Rory's Dad. She showed me a picture of you." Jack said as he stared up at him with wide eyes.

Chris swallowed hard, she had the same big blue eyes as Lorelai. "She did huh?"

"Uh huh." Jack said smiling at him, "Did you come to see her? She's not visiting anymore. She went back to her house."

Chris quickly glanced up and saw that Emily was busy changing Elise on the bench, "Oh well...I was thinking that maybe I'd surprise her. Do you want to come with me to see her? I bet she'd be happy to see you!" The words left his mouth before he could really think them through.

"Yeah! But don't we have to ask my Mommy and Daddy first?" Jack asked as he looked around.

Chris shook his head, "No. I already asked them and they said yes. We'll be home before they even miss you!"

Jack glanced back at his grandma and saw that she wasn't paying attention. He turned back to Chris and decided he wanted to make Rory smile. She said that someday she would see her Dad again and why couldn't some day be now?

"Okay. Let's go!" Jack said as he took Christopher's hand and let him lead him out of the park.

Christopher's heart was pounding in his chest and he had no idea what he was doing. But all he knew for sure was that he needed to make Lorelai and Luke feel a little bit of the pain he had felt in the last few years. He knew it was wrong...but he didn't seen to be able to think clearly at the moment.

* * *

Back at the apartment, Lorelai and Luke were sitting on the bed enjoying breakfast together. Lorelai had stolen Luke's flannel from the bag he brought of extra clothes for them. And he had pretended to roll his eyes but really he was happy to see her happy.

"So...successful Anniversary date?" Luke asked as he took a bite of his eggs.

Lorelai smiled up at him, "Definitely. It was a good reminder to me of why I married you…"

Luke smirked, "Good to know." He reached over and grabbed his glass of juice before he took a sip, "You know...we should try and make more time for just us. I know we are busy...and we have the kids. But we still need time for you and me…"

Lorelai smiled and leaned against the headboard, "You're right...I'm sorry if you ever feel neglected. I think sometimes I forget that it's just not me and the kids anymore...I mean I know you've been there since day one with Elise and Jack. But with Rory...it was just me and her."

Luke nodded, "I know...and I love our life. And I love how amazing you are with the kids...but we're important too."

Lorelai smiled and leaned forward to kiss him, "We're definitely very important...I liked your idea last night about sneaking up here from time to time. It's much easier to be naughty when we aren't in danger of being interrupted by the little ones."

Luke chuckled, "Very true...I've missed how loud you can be." He said with a smirk, "You know how that gets me going…"

She smirked at him, "Well I didn't have to hold back last night...or this morning…" She said with a giggle, "Thanks for a great anniversary babe...I love you."

He smiled and leaned forward to kiss her gently, "I love you too."

She smiled and pulled away just as her cell phone began to ring. She put her plate down on the bedside table and hopped off the bed to grab her phone, she smiled when she saw that it was her Mom.

"Hey Mom. Have the rugrats worn you out? We can come home soon." Lorelai said as she turned to glance at her husband.

 _"Lorelai…" She heard her father's voice instead of her mother's, and yet she could hear her mother's voice and it sounded like she was screaming._

"Dad?" Lorelai said as she turned back to look at Luke with a nervous glance.

Luke saw her expression and got out of bed quickly to stand beside her, "What is it?"

"Dad?" Lorelai asked again as she heard her Mom's yelling getting louder, "Dad what's wrong?"

 _"Lorelai...Jack…" He felt his voice crack with emotion and he was unable to continue._

Lorelai's knees began to tremble as she grabbed Luke's arm, "What's wrong with Jack?"

 _"He's gone…" Richard said as he started to cry, "He was here...he was playing at the park and now we can't find him."_

Lorelai started to collapse and Luke caught her quickly, "What do you mean he's gone? What do you mean you can't find him?"

Luke pulled her close, "What? Where's Jack?"

"Dad where is Jack?" Lorelai screamed against Luke, "Where is he? Where are you?"

 _"We brought them to the park…" Richard said, "I called the police...they are here. Just...just come down here."_

Lorelai shut her phone and glanced up at Luke who was still holding her close, "He's gone...he's not there." Her knees buckled again, "Luke…"

Luke shook his head as his heart began pounding in his chest, "I don't understand…"

She stared to cry harder as he held her, "This is what I was afraid of! It-it-it had to be Chris! Chris took our baby!"

Luke swallowed hard and pulled her up again, "Come on."

He quickly threw on his clothes and helped Lorelai put on hers. He grabbed her hand knowing that she needed him to steady her and they ran down the stairs and into the Diner which caught everyone's attention. Luke didn't stop when Caesar called out to him, he only ran faster with Lorelai by his side.

There was already a crowd at the playground and two police cruisers. Luke pushed through all the people until he spotted his daughter Elise in the arms of his grief stricken mother in law.

"Mom!" Lorelai yelled as she ran to her side and pulled Elise to her, "What happened?"

"I'm so sorry." Emily said through her tears, "I was just...I was changing Elise. Your father went to go get us some drinks at the market...and when I looked up again he was just gone!"

Luke turned to the police chief, an old friend of his and the very man who had dealt with Christopher all those years ago during his arrest. "Jimmy…" Luke mumbled.

Jimmy nodded, "I know what you are thinking Luke...but we can't jump to any conclusions yet."

Luke scoffed, "Are you kidding me? This is Stars Hollow! This kind of thing doesn't happen here! Who the hell else would take my son?"

Lorelai quickly grabbed Luke's arm and felt how tense he was, "Luke…"

"I want you to find Christopher Hayden. Because I guarantee when you do you'll find Jack. And when you find them...I'm going to kill that son of a bitch." Luke said through clenched teeth.

"Luke…" Lorelai called again as Elise began to cry hearing her father yell.

"Luke I understand that this is very difficult...and we are going to do everything we can to make sure that Jack comes home safe." Jimmy said trying to reassure him. "But I need you to remain calm…"

Luke clenched his fists, "That asshole took my kid and you want me to be calm?"

"Luke please…" Lorelai said as the tears poured down her face, "Please…"

He finally turned hearing the desperation in her voice and he softened only enough to pull her close, "It's going to be okay…" He whispered into Lorelai's ear as he stroked Elise's hair. "I'm going to find him...I'm going to bring him home."

Richard suddenly appeared and he had something in his hands, Lorelai let out a sob when she saw what it is, "Oh God…"

Luke turned and saw that Richard had Jack's blue had in his hands. The hat he always wore because he said he wanted to be just like his Dad. Luke felt the lump in his throat grow as Richard walked closer to them.

"I am so sorry…" The older man said as he walked all the way to them, "I shouldn't have left...I should have stopped this."

Luke shook his head, took the small hat in his hands and pulled Lorelai close again, "It's no one's fault Richard…" He kissed Lorelai's head as she sobbed into his shoulder and he tried to stay strong for her but his own resolve was weakening. "We're going to find him...I know we will. He will be home tonight."

Lorelai only clung to her husband and refused to let go of her daughter. Out there somewhere was her little boy. And he was in the hands of the one person that hated her the most. She had taken six years of his life away from him...and now he had taken what was most precious to her. She didn't know what he would do or how he would react towards her son. But one thing was for sure...she wasn't going to give up without a fight. She was going to make sure her son came home and that Christopher Hayden regretted his choices now more than ever.

* * *

 **Okay so...the drama has arrived as you can see hahaha! Will try and write more soon.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey guys! Here is the next chapter. I also added two new chapters to "Luke and Lorelai: A Playlist" so check that out too. Working on the next chapter for this tonight.**

* * *

Late that afternoon, the Danes household had turned into grand central station. The police had set up outside the house and were monitoring all incoming calls and visitors. Lorelai had been sitting on the couch unmoving for hours, she barely reacted to anyone when they spoke. Sookie, Jackson, Lane, Zach, Liz and TJ and the rest of their friends and family had been in and out. They all tried to comfort her but quite frankly they weren't even sure if she could hear them.

Emily and Richard were answering as many questions as they could. Luke was pacing back and forth desperately trying to think of something productive to do. He felt like everyone around him was moving in slow motion, why wasn't anyone going after him? Why wasn't Jack back yet? It didn't make any sense.

He practically growled when he felt someone place a hand on his arm, "Just me…" Liz whispered.

Luke took a deep breath and glanced at his younger sister, "Liz…"

He noticed that she was holding Elise who had no idea why there were so many people in her house. Luke quickly reached for his daughter and pulled her close to kiss her temple.

"Luke…" Liz whispered, "I'm worried about Lorelai...she's barely even blinking." Luke closed his eyes tight and continued to rock Elise back and forth, "Look I know this is difficult…" She said swallowing hard, "I can't even imagine what you are feeling right now...but you and Lorelai need to stick together in this."

Luke choked back a sob, "I told her I wouldn't let anything happen to any of us. I should have been there to protect him...I should have prevented this."

Liz shook her head, "Luke...there is nothing you could have done. Beating yourself up about this isn't going to help the situation...it's not going to bring Jack back any faster."

Luke glanced at his sister, "Liz I…"

She smiled at him, "TJ and I are going to be here every step of the way. We all are. Go talk to her…" She said as she reached for Elise.

Luke was reluctant to let his daughter go but he finally relented and handed her over to his sister. He took a deep breath and walked into the living room where Lorelai was sitting still as a statue staring off into the distance. There was a Police officer sitting beside her trying to get her to speak but having no luck. He noticed Luke walking closer and he stood up and walked away to give them some space.

Luke took a deep breath, sat down beside her and put a hand on her shoulder, "Lorelai…" He pulled his hand away when she flinched at his touch but slowly put it back to rub her back gently, "Lorelai...honey? You haven't said anything for hours...what can I do? Are you hungry? I'll go make you something or-"

"He took our son." Lorelai said as her eyes continued to stare forward, "He took my little boy...and I don't know where he is. What if we don't find him? What if-"

Luke got off the couch and knelt down in front of her so she had no choice but to look at him, "Don't talk like that." He knew he sounded harsher than he meant and he saw the tears begin to well up in her eyes, "Lorelai…" He sighed and put his hands on her knees, "We are going to find them. Jack is coming home…"

"He's so little." Lorelai said as the tears finally came again, "He can't protect himself. He can't get away...he's so helpless…"

Luke swallowed hard and pulled her into his arms, "I know…"

"It should have been me." She cried against his chest, "It should have been me Luke. I could handle it but not Jack...not my little boy…"

Luke held her tighter and felt the own tears building again in his eyes, "Don't...we need to be strong. Jack is strong...he's so much stronger than we realize. He's going to be fine. And we're going to find him...no matter how long it takes I'm not giving up. Okay? We will bring our son home."

She clung to his shirt and tried to nod slowly, "I...I need to call Rory."

Luke sighed and pulled away, "I didn't even think…"

She shook her head, "Me either. I've been so…" She wiped at her eyes, "I need to tell her. And you need to call April but…" She sighed and felt another round of tears coming, "Oh God this is going to kill them both…" She put her head in her hands and began to cry again.

Luke leaned forward and kissed the top of her head, "You go call Rory. We need to make sure she is okay...we need to warn her. I'll call Anna and figure out what to do about April…"

She pulled away and reached for his hand, "This can't be happening…"

"I wish it wasn't." Luke said as he squeezed her hand, "You know I'd do anything to fix this…"

She nodded and started to pull herself up on wobbly legs, "He's going to come home…"

Luke was still kneeling as he watched her stand up. She looked so broken and tired. It didn't seem possible that just this morning she was smiling again with him at the apartment. It didn't seem real. None of this did. He took a deep breath, pulled himself up, kissed her forehead and gave her hand a squeeze, "Call Rory…"

She nodded once and walked towards the stairs to go up to her bedroom. Luke watched her go and debated going after her, he didn't want her to be too far away. But he knew this was something she had to do on her own. Taking a deep breath, he took out his own cell phone and called Anna.

It rang a few times before she answered, he knew his voice was shaky as he whispered, "Anna...we need to talk."

* * *

Upstairs, Lorelai stood for a moment in the hallway debating on where to go to. She knew she should go to her bedroom, it would be safer there. But her feet drew her to her son's room. She took a deep breath as she stepped into the room. Luke had painted it in Jack's favorite navy blue color. There was a big Red Sox emblem on the wall above Jack's bed.

His toys were still littered around the room from his sleepover with Emily and Richard. Her knees gave out and she took a few unsteady steps to his tiny bed. She sat down on it and wished more than anything she could curl up with him and read all of his favorite bedtime stories. She lifted his pillow and breathed in the scent of him, a little like Luke but still all his own.

The tears started coming again and she quickly reached for her phone before she lost the nerve. _"Hey Mom! How was last night?"_

Lorelai inhaled sharply, "Rory…"

 _Rory knew her Mother well enough to know from the tone of her voice that something was wrong. Her heart started pounding and she tried to think of the millions of things that could have happened since she spoke to her last. "Mom...what is it?"_

"Rory...I need you to come home." She said as she lay back on the bed feeling her body give up on her, "He...he took Jack."

 _Rory was at work and she quickly collapsed onto her desk chair, "What do you mean he took Jack? Dad? Dad took Jack?"_

"Yes." She said as she continued to sob, "He's gone...and no one will listen to me. I know it's your Dad...it has to be. But my little boy...he's out there somewhere with him."

 _The tears began to pour down her face as she grabbed her bag, "I'm coming home. Everything is going to be fine...we're going to find him. Okay? We will find Jack."_

"Come home…" Lorelai whispered again as she continued to cry.

Back in New York, Rory didn't even say a word to her boss as she ran out of her office. She had to get home as fast as she possibly could. She hailed a cab and was making a mental note of things to grab as quickly as possible back at her apartment. And then the panic started to take over. She grabbed her phone and dialed a familiar number, when they answered, all she said was, "Luke needs you."

* * *

Three hours later, Luke was sitting at the kitchen table talking to a group of detectives. He was giving them pictures and the most accurate descriptions of his son that he could think of. His head was pounding, he hadn't eaten a thing since this morning and he felt weak. But it didn't' matter...all that mattered was finding his son.

"Now Mr. Danes...we know you think that this was Christopher Hayden…" The Detective started to say. "But we need to think of all the possible suspects before we narrow it down…"

Luke shook his head, "There is no one else who could have done this…"

The Detective sighed, "Sir...I know that you want to easily pin this on someone. And of course he is on our list but-"

"There is no one else who could have done this." Luke said again through clenched teeth "Nothing you say to me is going to convince me otherwise. Christopher Hayden took my son...and either you are going to find him or I will."

The Detective turned to his partner and sighed, "Sir…we understand that there has been some issues with him lately. Could you tell us more about them?"

Luke put his head in his hands and tried to breath, "Six years ago he was in a relationship with my wife...and he attacked her. He went to jail...and he just recently was released."

"Have you had any contact with him since his release?" The other Detective asked him.

Luke shook his head, "No. I haven't...the only people who have seen him in our family recently are my father in law Richard and my step-daughter Rory."

"And Rory is his biological daughter?" The first Detective asked as he pulled out a file.

Luke nodded and wiped a hand over his face, "Yes...she went to see him prior to his release."

"Luke!" Rory yelled as she ran into the house and went directly for him, Luke stood up and pulled him into his arms, "What's happening?"

Luke sighed and tried to calm her, "We're trying to figure out all the basics right now...I'm trying to fill these men in on what happened since your Dad's release."

Rory turned to the Detectives and sat down in Luke's seat, "My Dad did this. Christopher Hayden."

"Are you Rory Gilmore?" The first Detective asked, when she nodded he smiled, "I'm Detective Porter. I know this is difficult...and we are going to do everything we can to find your brother. Any information you can give me regarding your father and the last time you saw him will be really helpful...do you think you can do that?"

Rory took a deep breath and glanced back at Luke, she noticed how scared and tired he looked and she knew she had to be strong. She turned back to the Detectives and took a deep breath, "I went with my Grandfather to see him during his release hearing...he said that he wanted to try and have a relationship with me if I was up for it. But I told him that I didn't want anything to do with him...that I wished he was dead." She put a hand over her mouth, "Oh God...this is my fault."

Luke sighed and put a hand on her shoulder, "No it isn't...Rory you know that it's not."

"What else can you tell us Miss Gilmore?" Detective Porter asked trying to be as kind and patient as possible.

She sniffled, "He said he was going to stay away...he said he wanted to get on with his life. That he had already missed six years and had no intention of going back to prison…" He laughed sadly to herself, "I should have known he'd break another promise…" She swallowed hard, "Can...can I go see my Mom? I will answer anymore questions that you have but I just…"

Detective Porter nodded, "Yes. Go ahead...we'll be right here."

Rory nodded and quickly stood up, she let Luke lead her through the kitchen and the living room. She barely registered the presence of her Grandparents and friends. She ran up the stairs and Luke lead her to Elise's room where Lorelai was rocking the baby back and forth.

"Mom!" Rory said as she burst into the room, "Oh Mom…"

Lorelai pulled herself up and Luke took Elise form her, "Hey…" She pulled her in for a hug and held her tight, "I'm so glad you're here. I'm so glad you're okay…"

Rory squeezed her tight, "Why would Dad do this? He said he was going to stay away. He said he'd leave us alone…"

Lorelai sighed and pulled away to look at her daughter, "I don't know kid...I guess he's still mad at me." She swallowed hard and looked down, "He wanted revenge for those six years I took away from him…"

"But taking your son?" Rory whispered, "I just...I can't believe he would do this. How could he be so cruel?"

"Anger makes people do terrible things…" Luke whispered as he rocked Elise back and forth as she started to fall asleep in his arms.

Rory whimpered and reached a hand out to run a hand through Elise's curls, "Have you talked to April?"

Luke sighed, "Anna was going to pick her up at school...they'll be flying out tomorrow morning. Anna hadn't told her yet...she didn't want to do it over the phone."

Rory sighed and turned back to her Mom, "What can I do? I feel like I need to do something. Maybe if I call Dad-"

"No." Lorelai said shaking her head quickly, "I don't want you having any contact with him. It won't help...he already has one of my kids. I'm not letting him get anywhere near anymore of you…" She said pulling her close again.

Rory swallowed hard, "Where do you think he would take him?"

"I don't know…" Lorelai whispered, "He wouldn't go home...a police officer already went to Francine's house. Someone is trying to get in contact with Sherry...but we haven't got through yet."

"What did Francine say?" Rory asked as she pulled away.

Lorelai smiled sadly, "Not much...she didn't want to talk to them."

"You don't' think she would help hide Dad, do you?" Rory asked curiously.

"I honestly have no idea Rory...I'd like to think that she would do the right thing. But I know she wasn't very happy with me after your Dad went to prison. If she thinks he is going to go back...she may try and protect him." Lorelai said swallowing the lump in her throat.

"But how could she protect him? How could she do that when there is a little boy who is in danger?" Rory asked angrily, "Let me call her! Let me get through to her!"

Luke shook his head, "Rory that's not going to do any good...it will only upset you more."

"Honey the only time you saw Francine was that one time at Grandma and Grandpa's...you saw how difficult she was. I don't want to subject you to her. You need to stay here...so we know you are safe." Lorelai said as the tears welled up in her eyes again and she pulled her close, "I need you here…"

Rory sighed and held her close, "I'm not going anywhere Mom…"

There was a knock on the bedroom door and all eyes turned to see one of the Police Officers, "Mr. and Mrs. Danes? There is a woman here asking to speak to you…"

Luke glanced at Lorelai who quickly walked out of the room and down the stairs. She walked to the front porch and stopped when she saw Sherry standing there.

"Sherry…" Lorelai said as she swallowed hard, "Have you-"

Sherry shook her head, "I'm so sorry Lorelai...I didn't think he would ever do something this stupid. I tried to call him...but he won't answer. I think he either turned his phone off or threw it out...Francine won't speak to me."

Lorelai whimpered and leaned against the doorframe, "Where is Gigi?"

"She's with my parents." Sherry said as she pushed some hair out of her face, "I had to come here...to see if…" She sighed and bit her lip, "I'm so sorry…"

Rory was standing behind her Mother now, "Can you think of somewhere he would go?"

Sherry shook her head, "To be honest I haven't had much contact with him since he went away. I agreed to supervised visits now that he is out...but he only ever saw Gigi once since then. Francine took her to prison to see him...I wouldn't go." She sighed again, "I feel so stupid for coming here when I have nothing useful to tell you...but I just…"

"If he calls you? Or Francine tells you something…" Lorelai whispered.

Sherry nodded, "I will call you immediately. Is there anything else I can do? I want to help…"

Luke walked out and tried to smile at her, "They are setting up a search party starting first thing in the morning…"

"I'll be there." Sherry said, "And I'll keep trying to talk to Francine. Maybe she'll give something away…"

Lorelai nodded slowly, "Thank you…"

"You're going to find him." Sherry said as her own eyes welled up with tears, "I know you will. I've never met anyone as determined as you Lorelai...I'll know you'll find him. And when you do…" She let her lips form a thin line, "You make Christopher pay…"

Lorelai nodded slowly and let the silence pass between them. Sherry turned and walked back to her car and Lorelai was thankful for her help. She turned back to Luke who was holding Elise who was now fast asleep in his arms.

She sighed, "We should put her to bed...the poor thing must be exhausted and so confused. She keeps saying…" Her voice cracked and she held onto the doorframe for support, "She keeps saying Jack Jack…"

Rory swallowed hard, "You guys take her upstairs...I'm going to check in with Grandma and Grandpa…"

Luke nodded slowly and waited for Lorelai to pull herself together enough to walk back up the stairs. When they reached Elise's room, he let her take their daughter. He watched as she effortlessly carried her to her crib and hummed softly to her. Elise nuzzled her Mother's neck and yawned as she began to suck her thumb.

Luke loved to watch his wife with their children. She was so good with them...so tender and nurturing. When Jack had been born he was a nervous wreck. Sure he had April...but he had missed the early years. He didn't know anything about babies...he didn't know how to deal with all the crying and the not knowing what they wanted. But it came so naturally to Lorelai…

Even after twenty something years...she knew exactly what to do and say to calm her children. Jack had been a fussy child. He cried for hours on end late into the night. And the usual sleep obsessed Lorelai never let it phase her. She was up with him always and never once complained. She was one of the only people that could calm Jack down when he was upset.

His heart broke when he thought about the fact that out there somewhere was his son. He didn't know where he could possibly be. He didn't know if he was hurt or scared. And it was killing him…

He looked back at Lorelai and saw the tears in her eyes as she swayed Elise back and forth and sang her her favorite lullaby. He swallowed hard and walked further into the room to stand behind his wife, he felt Lorelai still and he kissed Elise's head softly.

"What if he had taken them both?" He heard her whisper.

Luke sighed and rested his forehead against her back, "He didn't…Elise is here. And she's not going anywhere…"

Lorelai cried as she held her daughter, "Jack need's a bedtime story to go to sleep…"

"Lorelai…" He whispered as he held her hips, "Don't...don't do this to yourself."

"Where is he?" She said as she rocked Elise, "He needs me…"

"We're going to find him." He whispered, he knew he sounded like a broken record but it was the only thing he could think to say.

She nodded slowly and pulled away so she could place Elise down in her crib. Luke watched as his daughter drifted further into her sleep. She looked so peaceful and innocent and he wished he could keep her from everything sad and scary in the world. Lorelai turned and wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head against his chest.

"We're going to find him." She whispered into his chest, "We have to find him…"

He squeezed her gently and nodded, "We will."

Lorelai pulled away and tried to look strong, "Luke?"

He reached up and cupped her cheek in his hand, "Yes?"

"No matter what happens…" She whispered, "We need to...to stay together. We need to do this together."

He felt the lump growing in his throat, "Lorelai...I'm not going anywhere."

She nodded and wrapped her arms around him again, "I love you."

He pulled her close and wrapped one hand in her hair, "I love you too."

"Mom?" Rory asked as she poked into the room, she tried to smile when she saw them.

Lorelai pulled away and wiped her tears away, "Hey...you alright?"

Rory nodded slowly and walked into the room, "I brought you some food...Sookie brought it over."

Lorelai sighed, "I don't know if I can eat…"

Rory sighed and walked into the room, "You need to keep your strength up...it's going to be a long few days…"

Lorelai swallowed hard and looked at Luke, "You should eat too…"

He felt the tears burning in his eyes and he didn't want to break down in front of them, "Yeah. Yeah I will...I uh. I just need to talk to the officers downstairs real quick about a few things. I will eat though…" He smiled and kissed her cheek, "Why don't you go to our room with Rory? Eat...try and relax…"

She saw the pain in his eyes and she grabbed his hands, "Luke?"

He leaned forward to kiss her temple, "Go be with Rory. I'll be right back…"

He quickly walked past both of them and down the hallway. His feet pounded down the stairs and he knew that everyone had turned to look at him. He was vaguely aware of his sister calling out his name but he didn't stop. He needed air. He needed space. He needed to act.

He burst into the garage and let out a growl of frustration. He looked over at his workbench and saw the birdhouse he had been building with Jack. Rage took over and he grabbed it and threw it to the far wall. He started grabbing anything he could get his hands on and was throwing them in every direction. He had an old punching bag in the corner he often used to work out with, Jack loved to watch him. He started pounding on it wishing it was Christopher. His eyes were filled with tears, he could barely see. More than once his fists hit the wall instead of the bag but he didn't care.

"Luke." A voice from behind him said.

He heard it but kept punching and punching. He felt like he couldn't breath. He felt out of control and he hated that feeling.

"Luke!" The voice said louder.

Exhaustion took over and he stilled as he leaned against the punching bag. He tried to take deep breaths and tried to slow his racing heart. He felt a hand on his shoulder and he tensed, "Luke…" The voice said again.

He turned quickly and saw his nephew standing behind him, "Jess…"

Jess sighed and steadied his Uncle, "Hey…"

"How did you know? When did you get here?" He asked as he leaned against the wall and tried to get his bearings.

"Rory called…" Jess said as he dropped his bag on the floor, "I got on the next flight out here. What's going on? Have you heard anything?"

Luke sighed, slid down the wall and hit the floor beneath him, "He took my son. That son of a bitch had the nerve to show up here and he took my son."

Jess sighed and sat down beside him, "I don't even know what to say...it doesn't seem real. Why would he do this?"

"Because he's a coward. He can't deal with his own shit so he has to hurt other people." He sniffled and rubbed at his eyes, "He took an innocent little kid...Jack wasn't even born when all that crap happened back then."

"How's Lorelai?" Jess asked as he pulled at his leather jacket.

"She's a mess...but trying to be strong." Luke said as he laughed sadly, "I don't know what to say to her. I just keep saying that we will find him…"

Jess nodded slowly, "You will find him. And you will bring him home…"

Luke swallowed hard and looked over at his nephew, "But what if we don't? What if…"

Jess shook his head, "Don't do that...don't let your head go there."

"But I can't help it!" Luke said as he pushed himself off the floor and he began to pace the garage, "I don't' know what he will do! I don't know what he is capable of. I hated him for years for abandoning Lorelai and Rory...and I thought he couldn't stoop any lower than that. But then he hurt Lorelai...and I should have killed him when I had the chance. Because if I had we wouldn't be here!"

"If you had killed him...you never would have married Lorelai." Jess said as he pulled himself off the floor, "You would have gone to jail...and you wouldn't have Jack or Elise…"

He scoffed, "Yeah well...maybe they would have been better off. Because then they wouldn't have to feel this kind of pain…"

"Don't say that." Jess said angrily, "Those are your kids you are talking about. You really wish they weren't born?"

Luke swung around and yelled, "Of course I don't! Those are my kids! They are everything to me! But I am their father...I'm supposed to protected them from these kind of things and I didn't. I couldn't...I feel sick to my stomach over this. I don't know what to do. I want to run out there and find him myself but I'm afraid of what I might do when I see Christopher. I won't be able to control myself...I know I won't."

Jess sighed and put his hands on his shoulders, "You need to keep it together. It's not going to be easy...but if you break down now it won't help you find Jack. And Lorelai needs you...and you need her."

"Jess…" Luke whispered as he tried to hold himself together, "He took my son…"

Jess nodded and quickly pulled his Uncle close, "I know...and we're going to find him. You guys aren't alone...we are going to find Jack."

Luke noded and let himself feel all the emotions he had been trying to hold in since this morning.

* * *

On the road, Christopher knew that they would be looking for him by now. He had no plan. As soon as he pulled out of Stars Hollow he had almost turned around and brought Jack back. But he couldn't seem to bring himself to do it. He had gone to the bank and taken out as much cash as he possibly could. He was driving with no real destination in mind.

He had stopped and gotten Jack food and noticed that he was currently fast asleep in the back of his car. He cursed himself for being so stupid. What was he going to get out of this? The only thing he would get would be more prison time. He had taken a kid...an innocent little kid. What was wrong with him? He felt the tears burning in his eyes.

He knew that back at home Lorelai and Luke were probably going insane. He hadn't been the best father to either Rory or Gigi. But he knew that if anyone had taken them from him, he would have done anything he could to get them back. He pulled over onto the side of the road when his eyes blurred with tears.

How the hell had he gotten to this point? He spent six years in prison wondering how he could have ever laid a hand on Lorelai. Yes he had been angry with her that night. He felt hurt that she had written that letter to Luke. But deep down he had known all along that her heart wasn't in their marriage. She didn't want to be with him. She wasn't over Luke...but he had gone with it because he thought it would be his only chance to be with her.

He assumed at some point she would give up on Luke and give him a chance. Once he found out that they weren't legally married he figured if they could just have a ceremony with their family no one would ever have to know. This was his chance to make it all right. This was his time to make up for lost time with Rory and Lorelai and really be a family. He had tried to force it to happen but it wasn't right.

And then he had found that letter and he knew that it was over. He knew that she wasn't his anymore. She hadn't been his since she was 16. She was Luke's now. Despite their break up...she still loved the Diner man. The man who had taken care of her and Rory when he didn't. The man that had been everything she had ever needed and more. She wanted Luke...not him. His fantasy of them ending up together in the end were nothing more than that...just a fantasy.

It was never going to happen and instead of accepting it he had reacted. He had reacted in the worst possible way. As soon as his hand had collided with her face he felt the same sense of panic that he felt now. He didn't understand why he couldn't keep himself from making such terrible decision. His whole life he had chosen wrong...but this time around there was no going back.

He had a second chance a week ago when he was released from prison. He had a chance to turn his life around. And as soon as it got hard he broke down again. He could never be a man and deal with things head on. He had to react and take the low road. This was the worst decision he had ever made but turning around and bringing him home didn't seem possible either.

He sighed, wiped at his eyes and pulled himself together. He glanced in the rearview mirror and saw that Jack was awake now and staring at him curiously.

"When are we going to see Rory?" He asked with a slight pout.

Christopher swallowed hard and turned to look at the boy, "Um...soon buddy. We'll see her soon."

"Can I call my Mommy?" He asked as he shifted in his seat, "She won't like that I missed dinner…and Mommy always reads to me before bed. Maybe she can do it over the phone…"

Christopher sighed and turned back to the road, "Not yet Jack...we'll uh...we'll find somewhere to stay soon, okay? Everything is going to be fine…"

They started driving again and Jack watched him from his seat, he suddenly wished that he hadn't run off with this man. He had wanted to make Rory happy by surprising her with her Dad. But he was starting to think that they weren't going to be seeing Rory at all…

He pulled his feet up on the seat and looked out the window and wished he still had his favorite bunny Oscar. At least then he wouldn't feel so alone…

* * *

Back at the house, Jess had dragged Luke back inside. He had sat and talked to the police to make sure he was up to date on everything. He spoke to Liz, TJ and the Gilmores and told them to go home. They had protested but finally agreed to leave if they could come back in the morning. Jess set up on the couch to crash for the night, he wanted to be around incase Luke felt the need to take anymore anger out on anything else in the house.

Rory walked down the stairs and smiled when she saw him, "You came…"

Jess nodded and stood up to hug her, "Of course I did."

She sighed and pulled away, "Where's Luke?"

"Taking to the officers outside. They are going to stay all night. Me too…" He said trying to reassure her, "How's your Mom?"

"She just fell asleep...I'm hoping she can sleep at least for a few hours. She barely ate anything…" She said rubbing at her tired eyes, "I just don't know what to say to make things better…"

"I'm not sure there is anything you can say." Jess said giving her arm a squeeze, "She's not going to feel any better until we find Jack…"

Rory's eyes welled up with tears and she nodded slowly, "I know...I just can't believe that this is even happening. I can't believe my Dad would do this...I mean I guess i can but…" She sniffled, "I keep thinking that I pissed him off when I went to see him...that this is my fault."

Jess shook his head and pulled her into a hug, "You know that it isn't Rory...no one forced your Dad to do this."

Rory cried against him, "If he hurts one hair on my brother's head...I swear…"

"I know…" Jess said squeezing her tighter, "I know...but we can't think like that. Jack is strong...he's going to be just fine."

She swallowed hard and nodded against his chest, "I'm really glad you're here…"

Jess sighed and rubbed her back, "I'm not going anywhere…"

They both heard the door creak opened and turned to see an exhausted looking Luke walk into the foyer. "Hey…" He said as he glanced at them, "Where's your Mom?"

"She fell asleep." Rory said as she pulled away from Jess and wiped her tears away, "I don't know how long it will last...but I figured I'd let her rest."

Luke nodded and rubbed a tired hand over his face, "Yeah...that's probably for the best."

Rory grimaced when she saw his banged up hands, "Luke...what did you do to your hands?"

Luke sighed and looked down at them, "Um…"

Jess grabbed Rory's arm before she could walk over to him, "He had a little accident. All taken care of. Why don't you and I into the kitchen and find something to eat...I'm starving."

Rory glanced back at Luke who looked at a loss for words, "Luke…"

"Go." Luke said offering her a smile, "I'm going to go check on your Mom…"

She nodded slowly and let Jess lead her into the kitchen to eat. Luke took a few steadying breaths before he climbed the stairs and walked first into Elise's room. She was still fast asleep, her mouth was parted open just so and he could hear the soft breaths of air she let out. He leaned into the crib, placed a kiss on her head and made sure the monitor was on in her room.

He walked back to his and Lorelai's room and switched on the monitor in their room. He glanced over at Lorelai who was fast asleep in bed. Even in her sleep he could see the worry on her face. He wanted to crawl into bed with her and hold her close and tell her that everything was going to be fine. But for the first time in a long time...he wasn't sure if he even believed that.

He tiptoed into the bathroom and started pulling his layers of clothing off. He turned the knob on in the shower and waited for the water to get warm. As he waited, he leaned against the sink and glanced at himself in the mirror. He hardly recognized the man staring back at him and he suddenly felt to tired to stand.

He felt the all too familiar burning feeling in the back of his throat and eyes and knew it was no use to pretend he was okay. He lowered his head and let the tears come just as he heard the bathroom door open. He saw his wife's face reflected in the mirror and he turned quickly and tried to hold the tears in.

He was standing in front of her completely exposed both physically and emotionally. She bit her lip and walked into the room before closing the door behind him. He was silent as she walked all the way up to him and took his battered hands in hers.

He heard her whimper softly as she lifted them to her lips, "Oh Luke…"

"I'm sorry…" He said in a pained voice, "I was just...I'm so...I'm so angry Lorelai. And scared…"

She nodded slowly and let his hands go. He watched her check the temperature of the water before pulling her shirt up over her body.

"Lorelai?" He whispered as he watched her.

She didn't say anything, only continued to strip. She took his hand and lead him towards the shower and pulled him under the warm spray. He hissed as the water hit his tense muscles and she quickly grabbed for the soap. He had taken a shower many times with her...but this was different. It wasn't about a physical need. It was about being together...standing together and finding a way through this.

She ran the soap gently over his hands and he winced as the soap stung the cuts. "Luke…" She whispered, "You can't…"

He sighed, "Lorelai…"

"You can't…" She said as she continued to wash them, "I know you want too...and God I do too…" He heard her sniffle before she glanced up at him, "But you can't...I won't survive if you do."

He swallowed the lump in his throat before he pushed out his words, "He took our son…"

She nodded slowly and even through the shower stream he could tell she was crying, "I know…"

She sighed and reached her arms up to hold him close as they cried together. They had to stay strong in order to find their son. But in this moment...they needed to allow themselves to feel their pain. Ignoring it wasn't going to help the situation...they had to face it on. And there was no other way to do it than together…

* * *

 **I will try my best to update again tomorrow. In the mean time check out my other story if you need something else to fill your time ;) Thanks for following!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hey guys, I have a crazy week and a half ahead of me! I am going to try and write when I can :) Thanks for the continued support. Hope you read and enjoy!**

* * *

The following day, April came bursting into the house yelling for her Dad. He had been sitting on the couch with Lorelai speaking to the police officers and he jumped when he heard her frantic voice. He stood by the couch and looked at his terrified daughter, he noticed Jack's stuffed bunny clutched in her left hand.

"April…" He whispered as he took a step towards her.

She shook her head, "Tell me Mom was lying...tell me he didn't take Jack."

Luke stopped and sighed, "April…" He whispered again.

"No." She said as she shook her head back and forth, "No! He can't! Why? Why would he do that?"

Luke swallowed hard and stepped all the way up to her, "Come here…"

Lorelai stood up to face them and saw that Anna was standing nervously in the doorway. Lorelai offered her a small smile to let her know she was welcome. Anna took a few steps into the house and looked around at the chaos around them.

"Lorelai…" She whispered, her voice was hoarse and unsure, "I don't even know what to say…"

Lorelai bit her lip nervously and shrugged, "You don't' have to say anything…"

"Have you heard anything new?" She asked hopefully, "Have you talked to-"

"No." Lorelai said quickly as she put a hand on Luke's back feeling that she was going to fall over, "Nothing's changed…"

April pulled away from her father and launched herself at Lorelai, "I shouldn't have taken the stupid bunny...Jack needs it. He's out there alone!"

Lorelai grimaced and held her close, "April it's not-"

"What do we do?" She asked as she pulled away and ignored Lorelai's words, "I want to do something. What can I do?"

Luke sighed and put a hand on her arm, "There's not much you can do April...we're all kind of just stuck right now."

Lorelai swallowed hard and tried to think of something to say, "April I know that school just started and-"

"I don't care about school." April said quickly, "I don't care. I'm not leaving if that's what you think. I'm not going back until I know that my brother is okay…"

Luke glanced at Anna unsure of what to say, "I talked to her advisor...they said that under the circumstances they would hold her spot. They said not to worry about anything...we will deal with that all later." Anna whispered.

April looked at her father, "He's...he's going to be fine...right?"

Luke tried to smile and he leaned forward to hug her again, "Yes. He's going to be fine."

* * *

Christopher had driven around and around trying to decide what to do. He knew he was in deeper now than ever before. He knew that by now they would be looking for him. He knew that Lorelai was probably going crazy. He knew he couldn't check into a hotel because he would have to give his name and Id which could be traced.

Before full blown panic began to set in, he remembered an old home in Maine that his Grandparents had left to him. He hadn't had much use for it and only really visited once. He had made plans with Gigi during her visits to go there once he was released. But he doubted she even remembered or cared about that now. It was the only place he could think to go.

By the time they got there, Jack was hungry and tired and clearly scared. Christopher himself was terrified but he had come this far and wasn't about to turn around and just hand him back to Lorelai. He didn't want to go back to prison. Could he leave the kid and run?

Sighing, he took a struggling Jack into the small house and fought through cobwebs to get into the living room. Jack was kicking at him as he put him down on the couch and Chris cursed him for being as strong and stubborn as Lorelai.

"Damn it." Chris said as he dropped him onto the cushion, "That hurt!"

"I want to go home!" Jack yelled as loud as he could, "You promised we would go see Rory!"

Chris started to pace in front of him and tried his best to think about what to do. "We uh...we're going to see Rory! She's going to meet us here buddy...don't worry about that."

"Don't call me buddy! My Daddy calls me that! You are not my Daddy!" Jack yelled as he crossed his tiny arms over his chest.

Chris turned quickly and glared at him, "Of course I'm not your Daddy! Your Dad is Luke! Stupid Luke! Why does your Mom want him? God I could have given her so much more!" He said with a laugh, "What the hell is wrong with her?"

"You said a bad word." Jack said glaring at him.

Chris rolled his eyes, "What are you five?"

Jack gave him a look of annoyance before speaking, "As a matter of fact, I am!"

Chris stopped and stared at the boy for a moment before he turned quickly and walked towards the kitchen. He put his head in his hands and rested against the counter desperately trying to find a way out of this situation. He had kidnapped a five year old kid. He had just been released from prison and had a second chance at life again. But instead of changing things around, he had gone and fucked them up more than ever.

He was angry. He couldn't deny that. Lorelai had taken six years of his life away from him. But deep down he knew it was his own fault. But Christopher Hayden didn't ever like to take responsibility for his actions...that had always been clear. So rather than face his problems, he acted. And this time around he had done the most terrible thing he could ever do.

Sighing, he pushed himself off the counter and looked at Jack, "Are you hungry?"

Jack stared at him for a minute, "Yes…"

Chris nodded, "I'll...go to the store...you stay here."

Jack looked around the room and began to get scared, "By myself? Mommy doesn't let me stay anywhere by myself!"

"Yeah well your Mommy isn't here right now and I'm not taking you with me." Chris said feeling frustrated as he walked over to him, "So you are going to stay here." He was quiet for a moment before taking Jack's hand and leading him upstairs, "You stay in here…"

Jack looked around the dingy bedroom and shook his head, "I don't want too!"

Chris sighed and turned his back, "Jack...I'm sorry."

"I want to go home." The little boy said again and this time his voice sounded shaky. "I want my Mom."

Chris closed his eyes tightly and walked out of the room, "I'm sorry…" He quickly closed the door and locked it before running back downstairs and out to the car.

He sat in the driver seat for a moment and truly contemplated leaving and not coming back. But the fear in Jack's voice tore at his heartstrings and he couldn't do it. He took a deep breath and pulled out of the long wooded driveway to go to the store. He had to find a way to fix this…

* * *

Three days had passed since Christopher had taken Jack. Three whole days without any contact with their son. Lorelai felt like she was slowly losing her mind. She tried to put on a brave face for everyone around her but her heart was breaking more and more with each passing second. The town and their friends and family had been searching tirelessly in any place they could think of.

But still there was no sign of their son. Lorelai was currently sitting on the floor in Elise's room playing with her and trying to be as attentive as possible. Elise kept handing her toys and Lorelai tried to be cheerful but it wasn't working. Finally the tears welled up in her eyes and Elise crawled into her lap.

She took her little hands and put them on her mother's face, "Momma?"

Lorelai sniffled and pulled her daughter close, "I'm sorry baby girl…"

"Jack Jack?" Elise asked as she snuggled into her Mom, "Where Jack Jack?"

Lorelai started crying harder as she held her daughter. Elise kept repeating her brother's name and Lorelai felt like she was going to break in half. The door creaked open and Jess walked in having heard the crying as he walked by.

"Lorelai?" He called out softly, he sighed when he saw her sobbing on the floor.

Luke stepped up behind him and sighed as he took in the scene in front of him, "Jess can you?"

Jess nodded and walked forward, "Come on Elise...let's go find Rory."

Lorelai didn't try and pull herself off the floor, her body was limp. Luke sat down beside her and tried to take her hand but she pulled it away. He wiped a hand over his face and winced when he felt the cuts on his knuckles stretch out.

"Lorelai…" He whispered trying desperately to find something useful to say.

She lifted her head to look at him, "It's been three days Luke...three days."

He nodded slowly and took a deep breath, "Trust me...I know."

"He should be home by now. He never should have been gone in the first place! Why can't they find him? I feel like I need to do something. I need to find him myself." She said feeling her hands begin to shake, "I can't just sit here...but I can't move...I feel paralyzed…"

Luke nodded slowly and tried to search her face for an answer, "What do you want me to do?"

She sighed and stood up slowly, "There's nothing you can do. There's nothing I can do that's going to fix this. And I hate that! I hate that I am literally powerless here."

"I do too." Luke said as he continued to sit on the floor and stare up at her, "I'm the guy that fixes things. And I can't fix this...it's killing me."

She swallowed hard, stopped pacing and turned back to him, "Oh Luke…"

"I'm your husband. I'm Jack's father...I'm supposed to protect you all from these things. But I didn't think...I shouldn't have…" He grimaced and put a hand over his eyes, "God I'm so tired...but I can't sleep...I keep seeing Jack's face...I keep hearing him ask me to take him home but I can't get to him."

She knelt down in front of him and took his battered hands in hers, "Luke…"

"It's been three days but it feels like it's been three years." He said angrily, "It feels like he's been gone forever...and I'm afraid that he will be…"

The sob in her throat grew and she crawled into his lap, "No...no he won't be. He can't be. I won't let that happen…"

Luke sighed and wrapped his arms around her waist, "Lorelai...it hurts."

She nodded as she leaned her forehead against his, "I know...it's killing me too." She sighed and closed her eyes, "I want to go see Francine…"

Luke sighed and pulled away from her quickly, "What?"

"I can't sit in this house anymore." She said softly, "I want to go see her...I know she hasn't told the Police anything. But maybe I can get her to say something...maybe she really does know something."

Luke stared at her for a moment and then shook his head, "I don't know…"

"Francine Hayden doesn't scare me." Lorelai said with a straight face, "I've known her for most of my life...and she's not my most favorite person. But I don't care Luke. I want her to see me...and I want her to say it to my face that she doesn't know where he is. She can hate me forever if she wants...but I need to do something."

Luke was quiet as he let her words sink, "But Lorelai…"

"Luke our son is missing...our little boy is out there somewhere probably terrified. I'm not just going to sit around and wait for him to come to me anymore. I am his mother...and I'm going to do whatever I have to do to find him. You can either come with me or stay here...but I'm going either way." She said stubbornly as she pulled away.

Luke saw the look on her face, it was a look he had seen many times before. It was the look that told the world she meant business. It was the look that said 'I am going to get what I want and no one can stop me.' He took a deep breath put a hand on her cheek and leaned forward to kiss her gently.

"I'm with you." He said softly, "No matter what...let's go."

She let out a sigh of relief and leaned into him, "Luke…"

He swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded, "I know…" He started to lift her off his lap, "Let's go now…"

She scrambled off his lap and stood up quickly with him in tow. They walked down the stairs and saw Jess, Rory and April all tending to Elise. Four pairs of eyes turned to them quickly and their own pain and fear was reflecting from them. Luke took Lorelai's hand and gave it a squeeze as they stepped up to them.

Luke turned to Jess, "Can I steal you for a second?"

Jess nodded and turned to Rory and April who were looking at him curiously, he turned back to his Uncle, "Sure."

Lorelai waited until they were gone before she turned back to the girls, "Mom?" Rory asked softly, "What is it?"

Lorelai smiled at her, "Luke and I have somewhere we need to go. Can you stay here with Elise? I'm sure Sookie will be by later with food...and Luke and I will try to be back soon."

"Where are you going?" April asked as she pulled Elise into her lap.

Lorelai sighed, "We are going to go talk to Christopher's mother-"

"I'm coming with you." Rory said quickly as she stood up to stand in front of her Mother.

Lorelai shook her head, "No...Rory I need you to stay here."

"No." Rory said angrily, "I want to come. I mean she's my Grandmother...and he's my Dad. I want to know what's going on."

Lorelai sighed again and put a hand on Rory's shoulder, "Hon...I know that this is really hard for you. But I'd feel a lot better if you stayed here…"

"Mom...please." Rory said as her eyes welled up with tears, "I feel so useless here…"

"You are not useless here." Lorelai said as tears welled up in her own eyes, "I need to know that Elise is in good hands. Luke and I will be back soon...you stay here with Jess and April. Please hon? I'm begging you…"

Rory sighed and knew how difficult this meeting was going to be for her Mother, "You'll call me if...if she tells you anything...or if…"

Lorelai pulled her close, "You guys will be the first to know."

Rory nodded slowly and breathed her Mom in, "I just want my brother back…" She whispered.

Lorelai sniffled, "Luke and I are going to bring him home...I promise you that." She pulled away slowly and walked over to April and Elise, she took the baby from her hands, "You be a good girl for your sisters and cousin Jess, okay? Mommy and Daddy will be back soon."

"Momma go?" Elise asked as she reached up to play with her Mother's curls as she so often did.

Lorelai nodded, "Yeah baby...but I'll be back."

"Momma? Jack?" The little girl asked softly.

Lorelai felt the tears burning in her eyes again, "Yeah baby...we're going to go find Jack and bring him home, okay?" She pulled away and glanced down at April, "How are you doing hon?"

April sighed, "You and Dad have to be safe...be careful."

Lorelai nodded and leaned forward to kiss her forehead, "We will. Everything is goin got be fine April. I promise…"

* * *

In the kitchen Luke turned to his nephew and tried his best not to break down again, "I uh...I need you to stay here with the girls for awhile. Make sure they are okay...I mean I know a cop will be outside all the time…" He adjusted his cap nervously, "But...can you stay?"

Jess nodded, "Luke I told you I wasn't leaving...I'm staying here until this is all settled."

Luke nodded, "Great. Okay...um...so we will be back. I think...if not obviously we will call first. But I'm not sure what information we are going to get from this…"

"Where are you going?" Jess asked curiously.

"Lorelai wants to go talk to Christopher's Mother. She is convinced she has some information or will know something that can help us. But...I mean I don't know." Luke said running a hand over his tired face, "I just...I can't sit here anymore. Neither can she...we need to do something."

"Luke…" Jess whispered, "I got everything under control here, alright? You go do what you need to do. I'm not going to let anything happen to them…"

Luke swallowed hard and gave him a tight smile, "Thank you Jess…"

Jess gave his arm a squeeze and smiled, "Don't mention it…"

Lorelai walked into the kitchen and straight up to the boys, "Are you ready to go?"

Luke nodded and took her hand, "Yeah. We need to tell the officer's where we are going. And I'd actually like one of them to come with us…"

Lorelai nodded, "Okay...if you think that's for the best."

He smiled, "I do. Uh...is Rory okay? Thought I heard some yelling…"

Lorelai sighed, "She's scared...and confused. I keep forgetting that this whole situation is even more complicated for her. Christopher is her father...whether she wants him to be or not he's her father. It's a whole new level of betrayal for her. She wanted to come with us...but I think I convinced her to stay."

"I'll keep my eye on her." Jess said to Lorelai, "I'm going to be here the whole time. I won't let anything happen…"

Lorelai took a deep breath and looked at her nephew, "Jess I...I'm really glad that you're here. It means a lot…"

Jess smiled at her. When he first met Lorelai Gilmore...the had a difficult relationship. He knew that something about him reminded her of him when she was his age. He wasn't an easy teenager and he had made a lot of mistakes. Mistakes that had caused her daughter pain. Despite their differences, Jess never questioned the fact that Lorelai was an amazing mother. She had done what his own mother wasn't able to do as a teen Mom and raised Rory to be everything she wanted to be.

After Luke and Lorelai got married, Jess visited as often as he could. And over the years, he had developed a relationship with Lorelai based on sarcasm and their mutual love for rock and roll and Luke Danes. Though things were still strange sometimes, he would have given anything to save her from the pain she was feeling at the moment.

"What are families for?" He said with a shrug, "Go ahead...I'll be right here."

"Thank you." She said before turning back to her husband, "Let's go…"

Luke nodded gave Jess a pat on the back and then lead Lorelai out to the front yard. They spoke briefly with the officers posted outside and one of them agreed to drive with them to Hartford. During the entire ride, both Lorelai and Luke were mainly silent. But they sat together in the back of the cruiser and never allowed their hands to part.

When they finally reached their destination, Lorelai began to tense up. Luke leaned in, whispered words of encouragement in her ear and she took a few deep breaths before pulling herself out of the car. They walked hand in hand up to the front door, Luke waited patiently as Lorelai composed herself enough to knock.

But before she could, the door swung open and an angry Francine was glaring back at her, "How dare you come here!" She screamed, "How dare you show your face in my home after you have completely destroyed my son's life!"

Luke tensed and moved to step in front of Lorelai but she put her hand out to stop him, "It's great to see you too Francine…"

"Get off my front step." She spat at her, "Don't you come back here again!"

"Francine...he took my son." Lorelai said as if her words had no effect on her what's so ever. "And if you know where they are…"

"You know very well that I don't." Francine said with an eyeroll as she leaned against the doorframe, "I knew you would be trouble for my son from the moment he met you…"

Lorelai rolled her eyes, "Yes. I know. I know you never liked me...and it may come as a shock to you but I was never really fond of you or Straub either."

She pursed her lips at him, "Why did you do this to my son?"

"I didn't do anything!" Lorelai yelled feeling her resolve give out on her, "He took my little boy and has done God knows what with him and you are acting like I am the criminal! Wake up Francine...Christopher was never a saint!"

"Only because you dragged him into the gutter." Francine said bitterly, "If you had never have gotten pregnant-"

"But I did." Lorelai said angrily, "And for your information...it takes two to make a baby. So he was just as much to blame for that as I was. You'd think that 27 years later someone would have explained sex to you."

"Lorelai…" Luke said putting a hand on her back, "Don't…"

Lorelai sighed and tried to compose herself, "Francine...I get that you hate me. Nothing I say or do is ever going to change that but…" The tears welled up in her eyes, "I am asking you as a mother...to please...please help me." Her voice cracked and the tears burned in her eyes, "I will do anything to find Jack...do you want money? Do you want me to say I won't press charges? Tell me what it is and I'll find a way to make it happen. But please…please I am begging you to help me find my son."

Francine took a deep breath, "The only problem is...that when you find your son...you find mine as well. And then what? Whether you press charges or not...he'll go away again. And there's nothing I can do about it…"

Lorelai whimpered, "Francine...Christopher is a grown man. He made his choices. I know that he is your son...and you will love him regardless. And you have no idea how badly I wish that none of this had ever happened...I'm not just talking about what's going on right now. I mean all of it...and I take responsibility for the part I played in our relationship…"

"Lorelai…" Luke whispered, she could sense the anger at her words. He hated when anyone ever tried to defend Christopher for hitting her.

She shook her head at him, "Never in a million years did I think I would be standing here...but I am. And I will come back again and again if I have too. Because I am going to do whatever it takes to find my son. I'm telling you that now...nothing is going to stop me. You happen to know how stubborn I am...so you know I'm telling the truth. Nothing will stop me from finding my baby. So whether you like it or not...Christopher is going to be found one way or another. I'm asking you to help me...and maybe we can find a way to deal with this. But if you refuse...I can't promise that I'll be kind when I do find him."

Lorelai watched as the older woman's shoulders slumped, "Lorelai…" She took a deep breath and tried to find the right words, "I truly don't know where he is...I've tried to call a thousand times but he won't answer. The last time I saw him...he had come home from another job interview. He was angry because he knew his record would make it hard to work…"

"He doesn't have to work." Lorelai said stubbornly, "He's got his trust fund."

Francine nodded, "I know. But apparently six years in prison finally lit a fire under his ass…" She laughed sadly, "All Straub ever wanted was for him to take some initiative...I wonder what he would say now if he saw what had become of his son."

"So...he was angry." Lorelai said nervously, her mind wandered back to the night that he had hit her and remembered the rage that had taken him to that awful place. "Francine…"

She sighed softly, "Lorelai...I can't wrap my head around any of this. It doesn't seem possible. Christopher has made so many terrible choices...but nothing like this. I am angry...I am very angry because I am losing my son again. But…" She looked down, "I can't imagine what you must be feeling right now…"

"I want to know that my son is okay." Lorelai said softly, "This is killing me...I'm afraid of what is going to happen. That night that…"

Francine shook her head, "Please don't…"

Lorelai ignored her words and pushed on, "I had never seen that look before. And I've known Christopher forever...but I had never seen him like that. And I am sorry...I am sorry that I let him think that I wanted to be with him. That's on me...but I still don't think I deserved-"

"You didn't." Francine said slowly, "I didn't teach my son to treat a woman like that…" She wiped at her tears, "And you don't deserve to have your son taken from you…"

Lorelai nodded slowly, "I believe you when you say you don't know where he is...but if you think of anything...of anywhere he might be...or if he calls you. I...I am asking you too-"

"I will." Francine said softly, "Because it's inevitable, right? One way or another...I lose Christopher again."

"Francine I'm sorry…" Lorelai said in a pained voice, "Maybe you don't believe that...but I am. I wish to God I could change all of this. I'd give anything to make it right…"

Francine nodded, "Me too…"

Lorelai took a deep breath and stepped back, "I'm sorry we just showed up like this…"

Francine smiled and shook her head, "I've been waiting for you actually...I knew it would happen at some point. You've always been a fighter Lorelai. I wouldn't expect you to take this lying down…" She bowed her head, "I'm sorry that I yelled...I just…" She choked back a sob and lifted her head slowly, "I don't want to lose my son either…"

Lorelai nodded slowly and reached for her hand, "I know…"

"I wasn't a very good mother…" She said shaking her head, "Not like you are. And...you deserve to find your son. He must be missing you…"

Lorelai's eyes shut quickly to hide her tears and she pulled her hand away, "Francine…"

"If I hear anything…" She said sadly, "I'll notify the police. I promise…"

Her eyes fluttered open slowly and she nodded, "Thank you…" She choked out softly.

Francine tried to smile as she turned back into the house and shut the door quietly behind her. Lorelai took a moment to compose herself before she turned back to her husband who was staring at her in awe. Her cheeks blushed and she looked down and tried to step around him, but he quickly grabbed her arm and pulled her flush against his body.

"I am so proud of you." Luke whispered into her ear, "You never backed down…"

Lorelai let her body relax against his and finally allowed the tears to fall, "He's my little boy...I'll do anything to find him."

Luke nodded and kissed her temple, "I know you will. That's why you are the most amazing mother. That's the one thing she was right about...none of the other stuff is true...you didn't ruin Christopher's life. He made his choices Lorelai...and you know that's true."

She pulled away slowly and nodded, "I know…"

He lifted her chin with his hand, "We're going to make it through this…"

She took a deep breath and smiled, "I know...we have too." She leaned forward and kissed his lips gently, "Come on...there's one more stop I want to make while we're in town."

"Where?" Luke asked as she pulled him down the path.

"My parents." Lorelai said softly, "I know that they are still blaming themselves...I just want to see if they are okay."

Luke nodded and knew it was the right thing to do. He climbed back into the police cruiser with his wife and gave directions to the Gilmore's house.

Once they got there, they had barely stepped out of the car before Richard came flying out the front door, "What is it? Did something happen? Did you find Jack?"

Lorelai sighed and shook her head, "No Dad...not yet."

Richard sighed and she watched his sturdy frame collapse slightly, "Oh Lorelai…"

She stepped closer to him as Luke pulled himself out of the car, "We went to see Francine."

"You did? Why didn't you call me first? I would have gone with you…" Richard said sadly, "I'm sure she was a delight…"

"She was a mother…" Lorelai said feeling sorry for Francine for once, "She's worried about her son…"

Richard scoffed, "Worried about Christopher? That animal will rot for what he's done. I will make sure of it."

Lorelai nodded slowly, "I know Dad…" She took a deep breath and looked down, "How's uh...how's Mom?

Richard sighed and glanced back at the house, "She hasn't gotten out of bed all day…" He looked back at his daughter with tears in his eyes, "Lorelai, Luke...I am so sorry. If I had just-"

"This isn't your fault Dad." Lorelai said quickly before he could continue, "No one saw this coming. We don't blame you…"

"But…" He started to speak again but the tears came suddenly, "I just keep thinking about how scared he must be…"

Luke sighed, "Richard...we are going to find Jack. He's coming home…"

Lorelai took a deep breath and walked up to him, "I'm going to go talk to Mom…"

Richard nodded slowly, "Right...I…" He took a deep breath and then pulled Lorelai up against him, "Lorelai…"

She breathed in his familiar scent and nodded in his arms, "I know Dad...I know." She kissed his cheek, pulled away and gave Luke a small smile before walking into the house.

She walked through the familiar foyer and noted just how quiet it seemed. It was always perfectly clean and organized. Everything had it's place. But the light in the room seemed dimmer and she was pretty sure it had nothing to do with the fact that the lights were off. She took a deep breath, walked up the stairs through the hallway she had traveled a million times before.

She walked to her parents bedroom, pushed the door open and saw that all the shades were drawn. She took a deep breath, walked into the bedroom and over to the large bed. She saw a lump of blankets, and Lorelai crawled into bed with her Mother. Something she wasn't sure she had even done before…

"Mom…" Lorelai whispered as she placed a hand on her back, "Mom?"

Emily rolled over and stared at her daughter in the dark room, "Did you find him?"

Lorelai swallowed the lump in her throat and shook her head, "No…"

Emily was quiet for a moment and then began to cry. Lorelai let her own tears fall as she kicked off her shoes and pulled her mother up against her. For the first time in her life, Lorelai took a moment with her mother to grieve for all the pain they had ever been through. And now...this pain was unlike anything any of them had ever experienced.

Downstairs, Richard was standing by the fireplace nursing the drink in his hand, "How did it really go with Francine?" He asked without turning to look at Luke.

Luke sighed and sat down on the couch, "Started out pretty badly...Francine did a lot of yelling and blaming." He rubbed his neck nervously, "But...I think Lorelai got through to her somehow. She said she'd call if she hears from him…"

Richard smiled and turned to look at his son-in-law. "Lorelai has a way of getting what she wants…"

Luke smiled softly, "I was very proud of her." His frown fell just slightly, "I'm always proud of her...but I don't know how she is being so strong. She amazes me more everyday…"

"My daughter is nothing but persistent. When she gets something on her mind...she doesn't stop until she accomplishes it." Richard said as he took another sip of his drink.

Luke smirked, "A trait she gets from you and Emily…"

Richard chuckled and sat down across from Luke, he took a moment and stared at Luke carefully, "How are you doing?"

Luke smiled sadly and shrugged, "Trying to be strong for Lorelai...for the rest of the kids. But I feel like someone has sliced me in two. I feel helpless...and scared. But mostly I just feel really angry. And to be honest...that anger frightens me. Because I don't know what I will do when and if I see Christopher."

Richard nodded slowly, "You are a good father Luke. And a great husband...you want to protect your family and I admire that. I don't blame you for wanting to tear Christopher apart...because I do too."

"But Lorelai keeps telling me she needs me to be with her. That she needs me to stay away from Christopher…" He leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees, "And I want to make her happy...I want to do what she needs. But for once in my life...I don't know if I can keep a promise. I don't know if I can keep from hurting him…" He shook his head, "When Christopher hit Lorelai...I wanted to wring his neck. And now...he's taken our son. And that light in Lorelai is fading with each passing day...and I want to kill the person responsible for that."

There was a silence between them and then Richard scooted up on the couch, "Luke...I would like nothing more than to stand beside you and then help bury the body. But…" He smiled sadly, "We both know that that would break Lorelai more than anything...if you had to leave her...she'd fall apart. She'd blame herself. It would break her heart. And I know you don't want that…"

Luke felt the tears burning in her eyes, "I've broken her heart before...and I never want to do that again. I won't do that again…"

Richard nodded, "I know you won't. But that means that you have to stay away…" He paused for a moment and then smiled, "Or it means...hit him where it hurts but walk away before his blood goes cold."

Luke watched as Richard lifted his glass and a small smirk grew on his face, "I'll keep that in mind…"

A moment later, Lorelai and Emily walked down the steps together. It was clear they had both been crying but Lorelai gave them both a hopeful smile. Luke and Richard both stood up and walked over to them.

"Luke and I need to head home…" Lorelai said as she got to the bottom of the staircase, "But...will you come over tomorrow?"

Emily nodded, "We'll be there. I heard they were doing another search. We'll help."

Lorelai nodded slowly and walked over to Luke, "We should go...the kids are probably worried."

Luke nodded and turned back to Richard, "We will see you tomorrow."

Richard nodded and stuck his hand out for Luke to shake, "Give the kids a kiss for us. I'll be by tomorrow with the legal team. We need to discuss everything."

Luke nodded, "Right. Okay...we'll be there."

"Bye Dad." Lorelai said leaning up to kiss his cheek as she took Luke's hand and led him out of the house.

Once inside the police cruiser, Lorelai took a deep breath and turned back to Luke, "Luke…"

He swallowed hard and took her hand, "I'm trying really hard to keep my temper in check…"

She cocked her head to the side and scooted closer to him, "Luke what-"

"I want nothing more than to kill him." Luke said as he pulled her hand into his lap, "And that scares me. But I don't want…" He closed his eyes for a moment and let his head fall back, "I don't want you to be afraid of me...I'd never...I'd never do what he did."

Lorelai sat up straighter and turned her body to completely face him, "Luke...look at me."

He sighed and lifted his head slowly to look at her with tear filled eyes, "What?"

"I have never once been afraid of you." She said as she reached up to cup his face in hers, "I trust you with my life. I know how strong you are...how protective you are. And I love that about you. I love that you would do anything for me and the kids. But I have never worried that you would…" She sighed and rested her head against his forehead, "I know you would never hurt me like that. And I know…" She sniffled and tried to hold it together for him, "I know what you want to do to him...because I do too. You have no idea how badly...but…"

He nodded and pulled her face closer, "But we can't…because the kids need us."

She opened her eyes and smiled sadly, "Yeah...the kids need us. And I...I need you Luke."

He let out a shaky breath and leaned forward to kiss her, "I'm not going anywhere…"

She nuzzled his face for a moment and then snuggled into his side. She felt his body relax against hers and she let her eyes close. They were going to find their son no matter what it took. And they were going to do it together.

* * *

In Maine Jack was angrily sitting back on the couch as Christopher stood in the kitchen making dinner for them. He had his mother's signature pout plastered across his face and his arms crossed over his chest in a similar fashion as Luke.

"Where's Rory?" Jack asked suddenly.

Chris tried to smile as he brought a plate of food over to him, "She'll be here soon buddy. Promise."

Jack stared down at the plate in front of him, "What is that?"

"Well it's vegetables and rice...and some shrimp." He said as he took a bite.

"EW." Jack said as he pushed it away from him, "It smells funny!"

Chris sighed, "It's good for you!"

Jack stuck his tongue out at him, "I won't eat it."

Chris groaned and sat back in his seat to study the kid, "So I see you have your Mother's eating habits."

Jack smiled proudly, "Yes I do. And my Daddy hates it...but he's a really good cook. So sometimes he can sneak vegetables in things and I will eat them."

Chris rolled his eyes at the mention of Luke, "Oh yes...your Dad is the best."

"Yes he is." Jack said as he leaned into the table, "He helps me with all sorts of stuff. He's my best friend."

Chris tensed, "Well how wonderful for you Jack…"

"You don't like my Daddy." Jack said as he leaned back again, "You do a weird twitchy thing everytime I talk about him."

Chris pursed his lips, "Your Dad is fine…"

"Is it because he married my Mommy and you didn't?" Jack asked feeling generally curious, "How come you never married my Mommy when she had Rory?"

Chris's foot was tapping on the floor and he suddenly lost his appetite, "You also inherited your Mother's nonstop talking."

"How come I never met you?" Jack asked, "I know April's Mommy. I see her all the time. But never you. Why aren't you around for Rory?"

Chris stood up quickly and turned his back to her, he wondered what they had told Jack about him. Was it appropriate to tell a five year old about someone being in prison? Part of him was surprised that Luke hadn't shouted it from the rooftops. He figured he'd do anything to make him look terrible.

"I've been away a lot…" Chris said stubbornly.

"April lives far away. But she visits and Anna comes too." Jack said as he crossed his arms over his chest again.

Chris smirked, "Yeah well...I was in a place that you can't leave voluntarily."

"Huh?" Jack asked softly, "What does that mean?"

"It means…" Chris sighed and shook his head, "You know what it doesn't matter what it means. Are you going to eat or not?"

Jack smirked and clucked his tongue, "Not."

Chris's eyes widened in shock, "Your Mother does that exact same thing…"

At the mention of his Mother, Jack's smirk faded and his eyes welled up with tears, "I want my Mom."

Chris sighed and stood up, "Well you can't see her right now Jack."

"Why not?" Jack asked sadly, "We've been gone for a long time and I miss her. I want to go home! Take me home!"

"I'm not taking you home!" Chris yelled as he spun around to stare at him, "I can't take you home okay? If I take you home than I…"

Jack's lip started to quiver, "You're never taking me home?"

Chris sighed and ran his hands through his short hair, "Damn it!"

"You said a bad word again!" Jack yelled pointing at him.

Chris growled, "If you aren't going to eat, you're going to bed."

"I don't want to go to bed!" Jack yelled as Chris picked him up, Jack started to kick him, "I want to go home!"

"Would you stop with the kicking already?" Chris yelled as he trudged upstairs, he walked into the room he had locked Jack in before and set him down. "Go to sleep."

"No!" Jack yelled as he kicked him swiftly in the shin again, "Take me home!"

Chris took a deep breath, walked out of the room and locked it again without saying a word. Jack stood in the room and hated how quiet it was. Most nights, even in the dead of the winter he made his parents put on a fan. He didn't like the quiet...it scared him. And now he as in a room he had never seen all alone. He quickly crawled up on the bed and tried to look out the window to see anything familiar.

But all he saw was darkness. And then...there was a few quick flashes of light. And then again. And Jack's heart fluttered when he realized they were fireflies like the ones he had caught at home with his family.

"I want to go home…" Jack whispered as lay back on the bed. "I want to go home…" He whispered again.

* * *

Back in Stars Hollow, Lorelai was sitting on the back porch with a blanket wrapped around her tightly as she stared off into the dark night. She had a cup of coffee held tightly in her hands. Tomorrow was supposed to be Jack's first day of Kindergarten. But instead he was somewhere far away from home alone. She lifted her hand and wiped the tears falling from her eyes.

The back door opened and Luke walked out slowly, "Elise is asleep...all the kids are actually. I don't think they have been getting much sleep."

Lorelai glanced over at him, "I don't think any of us have…"

Luke walked over to her and sat down, "If you keep drinking that stuff...you never will."

Lorelai smiled and looked down at the cup, "I'm not actually drinking it…"

Luke stared at her for a moment, "I don't understand…"

Lorelai felt her eyes well up with tears again, "Jack used to tell me that the smell of coffee comforted of him. He said it smelled like me…" She bit her lip, "I thought maybe it would comfort me…"

Luke put his arm around her, "Is it helping?"

She shook her head as she leaned against him, "Not even a little bit…"

Luke rested his chin on the top of her head, "He told me I smell like french fries…"

Lorelai laughed through her tears, "You usually do. Must be why I'm so attracted to you…"

Luke chuckled and kissed her head, "Must be…"

They sat quietly for a moment and then Lorelai stared to laugh, "Do you remember the first time we brought Elise home?"

Luke laughed softly, "Jack asked when she was going back into your tummy…"

Lorelai smiled, "He wasn't to fond of sharing us in the beginning…" She pulled away, "But after awhile...he was so cute with Elise. I used to catch him standing in front of her crib just watching her...I asked him what he was doing once. He said that Paul Anka stands guard in front of his bed so he had to stand guard in front of hers…"

Luke swallowed hard, "He's a great kid…"

She sighed and put her coffee cup on the little wicker table beside her, "He's so sweet...I keep wondering what Chris said to him...if he just grabbed him and took off. I mean...we taught him not to talk to strangers. Would he just go?"

Luke sighed, "I don't know...I've been thinking about that too."

"Mom?" A voice from the back door called out to her.

Lorelai and Luke turned to see Rory standing still in the doorway, "Hey kid...thought you were asleep."

Rory walked over to them slowly and then leaned against the porch railing. She had tears in her eyes and she seemed to be thinking hard about something.

"Rory?" Luke questioned her softly, "What is it?"

"The last day I was here…" She sighed and pulled something from her back pocket, "I went into the garage and got some of my old things...I wanted to find this."

Rory held out the photo to Lorelai who took it, "Rory…"

"I was looking at it...and Jack woke up. He came downstairs and asked me what it was...he recognized me. But…" She sniffled and wrapped her arms around herself, "I told him that that was Dad...and he kept asking all these questions. I just...I didn't know what to tell him. He was worried I was sad because I couldn't see him. And so I just said something stupid like maybe I'll see him again someday…"

Lorelai knew what she was thinking, "Oh Rory…"

"He knew what Dad looked like. In his head he wasn't a stranger...he probably wanted to go with him thinking they'd see me. That maybe I would see Dad again and I'd be happy." Rory said as her voice cracked, "This is all my fault…"

Lorelai shook her head and opened her arms, "Rory no...come here."

Rory started sobbing and she sat between Luke and Lorelai who both wrapped their arms around her, "I didn't even think about it...but I was up in my room and I knocked something over and this stupid picture fell out. And then I realized what had happened...and that Jack would have recognized him…"

Lorelai swallowed hard, "It's okay...this isn't your fault Rory. How could you know that your Dad would do something like this?"

Rory pulled away, "But Jack just wanted me to be happy…"

Luke shook his head, "Rory your Mom is right...this isn't your fault. Your Dad made a choice...a really stupid choice. If he really wanted to get on with his life he would have stayed away. Now he's in more trouble than he ever was."

Rory nodded, "I know...but...what if-"

"Don't." Lorelai said quickly knowing what she was thinking, "Don't do that...don't even think it."

Rory bit her lip and settled between them again, "He must be so scared…"

"Jack's a tough kid." Luke whispered, "He's going to be just fine…"

Lorelai was quiet as she held Rory close and looked out at the lake in front of her. She would have given anything to be watching her son run around in the yard like he always did. He seemed to have endless amounts of energy. He was so full of life and fun. He brought so much joy to her life, and it broke her heart to know he was out there all alone.

And suddenly she saw quick flashes of lights. She was quiet for another moment and then saw the lights again. "Fireflies…" She whispered softly.

"What?" Rory asked as she lifted her head to look at her Mom.

A smile grew on Lorelai's face and she pointed straight out in front of her, "Fireflies!"

Rory glanced at Luke trying to figure out what her Mother was so happy about, but she noticed the smile on his face too. "Am I missing something?" She asked.

Lorelai wiped the new tears away from her eyes, "Don't you remember what April told Jack? Fireflies are good luck...they are meant to guide you-"

"Home." Rory and Luke whispered together.

Lorelai nodded quickly, "Exactly...which means that Jack is going to come home."

Rory thought for a moment and wondered if she should point out that fireflies couldn't actually guide Jack home. But as she glanced back out at the fireflies a glimmer of hope grew in her own heart.

"He's coming home…" Rory whispered softly.

Lorelai squeezed her daughter and gave Luke a small smile, "He's coming home…"

Luke reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze. The three of them sat quietly as they watched the fireflies dance in the summer light. They were all thinking the same thing...how much longer did they have to wait before Jack would be right here with them?

* * *

 **So what did you think? Let me know and drop a review! Like I said I am super busy right now but will try and update soon. Writing helps relieve some of my stress so hopefully I will get some time to fit it in.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey guys! Thanks for being so patient for an update! I had state exams for school this past week so I have been super busy! But I finally finished this chapter and now the wait is over. I will try and update again soon.**

* * *

The following morning, Jack woke up to see that his bedroom door was open again. He nervously poked his head out of the hallway and didn't see Christopher anyway. He went to the bathroom quickly and then tiptoed downstairs. He saw Christopher back in the kitchen cooking something on the stove. His stomach was rumbling loudly but he didn't want to eat anything he would offer him.

Christopher turned around and noticed that Jack was standing in the hallway peering at him around the corner of the wall. "Goodmorning…"

"I want to go home." Jack said quickly just like he had the night before.

Chris ignored him and held out a plate of pancakes, "I made pancakes, I figured if you got your Mom's stomach you will eat these. Come here."

Jack shook his head, "I want to go home."

Chris sighed and put the plate down, "You can't go home right now Jack. So you should probably eat something."

"I only like my Daddy's pancakes." Jack said stubbornly from his spot far away.

Chris's face hardened and he grabbed the plate and threw it in the sink causing it to crack in half and make a loud noise. Jack jumped and hid himself behind the wall and suddenly Christopher had flashbacks to the night in Lorelai's kitchen when he had hit her. He remembered how terrified she had looked that night and suddenly it was reflected on her son's face.

He sighed, wiped a hand over his face and slowly walked to the hallway. Jack slid down to the floor and put his head against his knees. "Please take me home." He whispered.

Chris sighed and sat on the bottom step, "Jack...I can't."

"Why not?" Jack said with tears in his eyes.

He was quiet as he thought about his words carefully, "Because I'm going to be in a lot of trouble for having you here with me…"

"You said you asked my Mommy and Daddy if I could go with you." Jack said softly, Chris didn't answer, "You lied?"

Chris turned back to him and nodded slowly, "I lied…"

"You're mean." Jack said as tears welled up in his eyes, "Rory isn't coming is she? You lied about that too?"

Chris nodded slowly, "Yes Jack...I'm sorry I-"

"You're mean!" Jack yelled again as he stood up and stomped his foot, "Take me home!"

Chris stood up quickly, "Jack...I can't. I'm really sorry and I know you are confused but I can't take you home."

"I want to go home!" Jack screamed again as he ran for the front door.

Chris was to fast though, he quickly wrapped his arms around Jack's waist and pulled him back, "Jack you can't run away...you don't know where you are. We're in the woods far away from your home. You'll get lost."

"I don't want to be with you!" Jack yelled and his kicking resumed, "Put me down!"

"If I put you down you have to promise not to run...can you do that?" Chris asked as he grimaced with each blow to his body.

"Put me down!" Jack yelled again angrily.

"Jack...you have to promise not to run and I will put you down." Chris said feeling his anger build again.

Jack started to cry and he gave up his kicking, "Fine…"

Chris put him down on the ground and stared at him, "I'm sorry...I'll…" He looked around the house slowly, "I'll figure this out, okay? But...for now you need to stay here with me. Do you want some pancakes or not? You must be hungry. You didn't eat last night…"

Jack wanted to say no. He wanted to be angry and keep yelling at him but his stomach only growled louder. He pouted, sat on the floor again and nodded slowly. "Yes please…"

Chris felt a tinge of regret, even though he was scared the kid was still polite. He sighed, walked to the kitchen and got another plate full of pancakes. He brought them to Jack who was still stubbornly sitting on the floor. He gave him the plate and a bottle of syrup and a fork.

"Here…" Chris said sitting on the bottom step again.

Jack stared at the plain pancakes, "My Dad puts chocolate chips in them for me…"

Chris felt his fists clenched but he took a deep breath, "I will try and pick some up next time I go to the store…"

Jack poured the syrup on the pancakes and quickly shoveled some into his mouth, "Go away." He said with a mouthful of food.

Chris stared at him for a moment, he wasn't sure if he had heard him right. But finally, he stood up, walked to the kitchen and left the little boy to eat by himself. Jack continued to eat until he was too full. He pushed the plate away and walked back upstairs without saying a word to Chris. He climbed up on the bed again and stared out the window through the trees and wondered how much longer he would have to stay here. He wondered if his parents were looking for him and if they missed him as much as he missed them.

* * *

In Stars Hollow, Lorelai found Luke standing in Jack's room staring at the outfit they had picked out for Jack to wear on his first day of school. Lorelai being Lorelai had started brainstorming ideas way back in the beginning of August. Jack had said no to every outfit and only agreed to actually go to school if he was allowed to wear his "Dad Uniform" as he referred to it.

Luke was holding the the small blue hat that Jack had worn the day that Chris took him. He wondered how it had fallen off his head. Was there a struggle? Had Christopher seen it and been mad because it reminded him of Luke? Had he thrown it aside or had Jack accidently dropped it?

He sighed and sat on the edge of his son's bed. Lorelai stepped into the room, sat down beside him and kissed his cheek. "Hey…"

"We should be taking him to his first day of school right now…" He whispered.

Lorelai bit her lip, "I know…"

"It's still hard to believe he is old enough to go to school." He smiled sadly, "I still remember the day he was born like it was yesterday...I really thought I was going to break him. He was so tiny…"

Lorelai smiled, "I remember thinking how natural you looked holding him...like you had done it a million times before."

Luke looked over at her, "As happy as I was that day...it was also terrifying. With all your complications...I was so afraid…"

She nodded slowly and looked around Jack's room, "Didn't exactly go as planned." She smiled sadly, "But...nothing in our lives ever really does when you think about it."

"I love watching you with them...with Elise and Jack…" He whispered, "Makes me fall in love with you all over again. You're such an amazing mother…"

Her eyes welled up with tears, "If I'm such an amazing mother...how come I couldn't protect him from this?"

Luke sighed and placed the tiny hat down beside him, "Lorelai…"

"He was mad at me. He should have come after me...not Jack. But he knew...he knew that would hurt me more. He knows me so damn well…" She said with a laugh as she wiped her tears away, "God I hate him…"

Luke opened his mouth to respond but there was a slight knock on the door, "Hey…" Jess whispered as he poked his head in, "Sorry...did I interrupt?"

Lorelai shook her head and quickly wiped at her tears again, "No...what's up Jess? Does Elise need something?"

"Rory and April are giving her a bath actually." Jess said as he stepped further into the room, "But your Dad is here with some lawyers. They want to talk to you guys."

Luke nodded and stood up, "Thanks Jess…" He turned back to Lorelai and held out a hand to her, "Come on…"

Lorelai took his hand and stood up quickly to let him lead her out of the bedroom. Jess waited until they left before he looked back and noticed the small blue hat sitting on the bed. He sighed, turned around and shut the door behind him.

Downstairs, Lorelai and Luke sat at the dining room table with Richard and the lawyers. They discussed the restraining order and what new one would be in place when and if they found Christopher. They talked about what would happen when Christopher and Jack were found and how they wanted to proceed with the case.

"Once Christopher is in custody...there won't be much standing in our way to put him on trial. Kidnapping will be a greater charge than assault." The first lawyer said.

Lorelai swallowed hard, "But...will he be able to get out again?" Luke grabbed for her hand and gave it a squeeze.

The first lawyer sighed, "I can't tell you what will happen in court Lorelai...that is up to the jury to decide how long he gets. Of course this time if he did get out...we wouldn't have a problem putting Jack and the rest of your family on a new restraining order."

Lorelai rolled her eyes, "That restraining order did nothing. Sure he stayed away from me but clearly he didn't care about it...he doesn't care what happens to him. He just wants to make me pay for putting him away." She started to cry and shook her head, "I knew I never should have pressed charges in the first place...it only made matters worse."

Luke squeezed her hand and scooted his chair closer to her, "Don't say that. He deserved to go to jail for hurting you the way he did. And when he find Jack...he will go away again." No one had missed the fact that he had refused to say Christopher's actual name.

She sighed and looked at him, "But if had just left it alone…"

Luke shook his head, "Would you still be with him now?"

She opened her mouth to respond and then looked away, "I...I don't think so. I wouldn't want to be…"

Luke pulled at her hand to make him look at her again, "If you hadn't pressed charges...maybe we wouldn't be where we are right now. But that might also mean that you and I never would have gotten married...or had Jack in the first place...or even Elise...is that what you want?"

She bit her lip and looked down at their joined hands, "I love my children...more than anything. But...if I never had them...they would never feel this kind of pain."

Luke sighed and looked up at Richard who was frowning at his daughter, "Lorelai look at me…"

It took her a moment but she finally lifted her head to stared at him, "Dad…"

He leaned across the table and put his hand over Lorelai and Luke's, "Jack and Elise were brought into this word for a reason. And yes...this is something we never expected. Something terrible that is going to be difficult to deal with but we will…" He smiled at her, "I know how scared you are. But I also know that you don't really wish they had never been born...or that you didn't press charges. Christopher got what he deserved...and we will make sure he never hurts you or our family again."

She pursed her lips, "I just want my son home...I don't care what it takes. I don't care what we have to do...I just want my son home in one piece. Because if anything happens to him...if Christopher has hurt him in anyway…" She took a deep breath, "I swear to God I will kill him myself."

"Mrs. Danes…" The first lawyer whispered to her, "I know this is difficult...but we have to make sure we go about this the right way."

Luke sighed and leaned into his wife as he whispered in her ear to soothe her, "Lorelai...take a deep breath."

She was tense beside him and both her husband and her father were squeezing her hand, "Luke...I'm afraid he…"

Luke shook his head, "Don't...it will drive you crazy. Jack is okay...and we are going to find him."

She let out a shaky breath and turned to him, "Luke…"

He looked directly into her eyes and gave her a quick nod, "Trust me I know...you know I know what you are feeling. But you told me we had to be here for our son...and we will be. Together. Alright?"

She bit her lip and then looked back at the lawyers, "What do we do next?"

* * *

Upstairs, Rory and April were putting Elise back in her clothes after her bath. Rory was putting things in the hamper as Jess walked into the room. He smiled at the both as they worked silently to help their baby sister.

"Where are Lorelai and my Dad?" April asked as she turned towards him with Elise in her arms.

Jess leaned against the dresser, "Downstairs talking to the lawyers…"

Rory sighed and sat down in the rocking chair in the corner, "I don't know how much longer they can take of this...I'm going crazy. I keep thinking about him being out there...alone."

April bounced Elise back and forth and nodded her head, "Me too...he must be so scared. I was terrified sleeping in my dorm for the first night and I'm 18. Jack's only five...he doesn't understand where he is or why he's there without us all." She bit her lip and looked over at Rory, "You don't think...that your Dad would...hurt him...do you?"

Rory sighed and rested her head against the back of the rocking chair, "April...I'd like to say no. But quite honestly...I don't know what my father is capable of anymore."

Jess let the silence fill the room for a moment before he whispered, "I'd like to think that he'd have mercy on a little kid…"

Rory stood up and smiled sadly, "I'd like to think so too…" She let out a puff of air and walked over to April to take Elise in her arms, "Hey little girl...how are you doing?"

Elise looked up at her sister and whispered, "Jack Jack…"

Rory whimpered and pulled her closer, "He'll be home soon Elise…" She turned back to Jess, "It means a lot to Luke that you're here...I can tell."

Jess nodded, "Well...he's done a lot for me. I'd do anything for him."

April stared at her cousin for a moment, "Do you know your real Dad?"

Jess smiled sadly, "Met him twice...and both times didn't go so well." He shrugged, "But it doesn't matter much. Luke was the only father figure I needed…"

Rory smiled, "Only one I needed too…"

Jess noticed the sadness on April's face, he walked closer to her and put a hand on her arm, "What's up?"

She sighed and glanced over at him, "I saw the bruises and cuts on my Dad's hand…" She took a deep breath, "I know it wasn't an accident…"

Jess sighed and let his hand fall to his side, "April…"

"I'm worried that he's going to do something...I won't blame him for hurting…" She grimaced as she said his name, "Christopher…" She shook her head, "But what if he has to go away too?"

Jess sighed again, "April...he's really angry. He's trying hard to keep it together."

She pursed her lips, "But we all know that when he sees him...he'll lose control."

Jess put his hand back on her arm, "I'm going to do everything I can to make sure he stays safe April. Okay? Him and I talked...he knows what he needs to do."

April nodded slowly, "I know he knows...but will he follow through?"

Jess looked over at Rory who had a similar fearful look on her face, "We have to remember that as strong as they are being for our sake...their feeling a lot more pain than they've let on."

Rory turned to April, "April...we all need to stick together, alright? No matter what happens…"

April nodded slowly, "You're right…"

"He's coming home…" Jess whispered softly, "Jack is coming home...and Luke will be with him. Okay?"

April smiled, leaned into Jess and let him wrap his arm around her, "Okay…"

The three of them stood their together wondering what would happen when Jack was found. And even after...how could they make sure that Christopher never hurt them again?

* * *

Downstairs, Lorelai was standing in the kitchen washing her coffee cup as Luke saw the lawyers and her father off. The back door opened and Liz walked in and offered a small smile.

"Hey…" She whispered, "How are you doing?"

Lorelai sighed, dried the cup and placed it on the counter beside her, "Same as yesterday…"

Liz nodded slowly and walked over to her, "Still no word?"

Lorelai shook her head and tried to smile, "Not yet…"

Liz sighed and leaned against the counter beside her, "I wish I could say something that would make you feel better…"

Lorelai frowned, "Just being here helps Liz...it helps Luke too. Having all our friends and family supporting us...helping look. It keeps us standing…"

Luke walked into the kitchen and smiled when he saw his sister, "Hey Liz…"

She reached a hand out to him, "Hey Big Brother…"

Luke gave her hand a squeeze and leaned against the kitchen table, "Did Doula head off to school today?"

Liz nodded, "We took her this morning...she didn't want to go. She wanted to come here."

Lorelai bit her lip and looked away, Luke watched her for a moment and then turned back to his sister, "It's good for Doula to get back into the swing of things...keep a normal schedule as much as possible."

Lorelai stifled a sob and Luke stood up to pull her against him, "Even if he comes home...how do we explain this all to him? How do we just move on from it all? I'm going to be afraid that someone is going to take him everytime I turn my head…"

Luke gave her a squeeze, "It's going to be hard...it's going to be really hard. But we will deal with it all together."

Liz watched them for a moment, "I uh...I had a dream last night. About...about Dad."

Luke glanced over Lorelai's shoulder at his sister, "What?"

Lorelai pulled away slowly to turn to look at her sister-in-law, Liz took a deep breath, "It felt so real...Dad was standing there in front of me. And he was telling me to tell you that it was going to be okay...that Jack was going to be okay."

Luke's grip on his wife's arm tightened and she lifted a hand to place over his, "Liz…" She whispered.

Liz shrugged, "I know you probably think I'm crazy...and maybe I am. But I swear it was so real...and it felt like Dad was letting me know he was going to watch over Jack. Make sure that nothing else happens to him...to make sure that Christopher doesn't hurt him."

Lorelai let out a puff of air and leaned into her husband, "God I hope so…"

Liz nodded slowly, "Me too…" She took a deep breath and knew in that moment they needed to be alone, "Is Jess here?"

Luke nodded slowly and moved his head towards the hall, "Upstairs…"

Liz nodded, reached out to give Lorelai's hand a squeeze, "He's coming home…"

Lorelai nodded back and watched Liz walk away. She waited a moment before turning to look at her husband who had a far away look on his face. She stared at the lines that had grown on his face over the years. She was pretty sure a few of them had developed in the last few days alone.

"Luke…" She whispered softly as her eyes welled up with tears.

He closed his eyes tightly, "I know it was just a dream...but...but I want to believe that he is there with Jack. That he is taking care of him...watching over him. Because I can't be...I can't be beside him making sure he's okay."

Lorelai leaned up on her toes and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, "I believe he is…"

Luke let his arms wrap around her waist, "Jack's strong…" He whispered, "And tough...he'll give Christopher a run for his money."

Lorelai couldn't help but smile, "I hope he does…" She pulled away and let her hands rest on his chest, "Luke...about earlier...when we were talking to the lawyers…"

He grabbed her hands against his chest and gave them a squeeze, "It's okay...you have every right to feel the way you do."

She sighed, "But I don't want you to think I don't love our life…"

He shook his head adamantly, "Lorelai I don't think that. I could never think that…I know what you meant."

She shifted her weight and tried to keep her tears in, "I just...I wonder sometimes. What would have happened…"

"I don't understand." He whispered as he leaned into her.

She sighed and looked up at him, "What if...what if Christopher never hit me...what would have happened? Would I still be with him? Or would you and I…"

Luke let out a slow breath and tried not to show the shock on his face, "I...I don't know. Would you have wanted to stay with him?"

She shook her head, "No. Of course not...I didn't love him. And he knew that…" She was quiet for a moment as she tried to find the right way to form her thoughts into words, "I think that eventually...I would have left him. But…"

He raised an eyebrow, "But what?"

She looked down at his lips and then up to his eyes, "But would you have been able to forgive me? Or did you just do it because you felt sorry for me?"

Luke gasped and stepped away from her, "Lorelai…"

She grimaced, "That sounded bad...I just…" She sighed and dropped her hands from his chest, "I know you love me. And I thank God everyday that you helped me through all that. But...I still feel this insane guilt for what I put you through back then. And I just...I wonder if you ever would have been able to forgive me if things had been different…"

Luke lifted the cap off of his head and ran a hand through her hair, "Lorelai...I didn't forgive you because he hit you…" He placed the cap down again and looked at her, "I forgave you long before that had happened...but you were with him so I stayed away."

She stared at him and then whispered, "I never stopped loving you…"

He nodded slowly and then reached for her hand, "I know. And I never stopped loving you…" He traced the side of her face and tipped her chin up, "Which is why I know that someway...we would have found our way back to each other."

Her eyes fluttered a few times before she whispered his name, "Luke…"

"You know I wish that he never had hurt you…" He said, "It kills me remembering what he did...knowing if I had just figured things out sooner…"

She stepped closer and put her hands on his chest again, "It wasn't your fault…"

He nodded, "I know. And it wasn't yours either. It happened. It is what it is. And you know what...that's part of life. But we're here now...and we have a great life. And nothing Christopher does is going to change that."

She nodded slowly, "I'm sorry...I just have all these thoughts floating around in my head. And I can't sort through them all…"

He shook his head, "You don't have to apologize Lorelai...you just need to remember that I love you. I always loved you and I always will love you. No matter what happens. Okay?"

She nodded slowly and leaned her forehead against his, "Okay…"

He breathed her in and let her body sway against his, "We're going to make it through this…"

She let her tears start to fall again, "I know…"

He lifted his head to kiss her forehead and then pulled her all the way against him. She rested her head in the crook of his neck and let him comfort her just like he always did.

They heard footsteps down the hall and only pulled away at the last second, Lorelai smiled at Rory as she approached them, "Hey honey…"

Rory held up the phone in her hands, "Sherry's on the phone...she wants to talk to you…"

Lorelai glanced back at Luke who let her go with a hopeful look on his face. Lorelai walked towards her daughter, took the phone and pressed it to her ear while trying to stop the pounding of her heart, "Sherry?"

 _"Lorelai hi...I uh…" She paused for a moment and then continued, "You told me to call if I knew anything…"_

Lorelai reached out and grabbed Rory's hands, "Did he call you?" Luke rushed to her side in an instant and held her up when he saw her knees begin to tremble.

 _"No. I…" She sighed again, "It's Gigi...she said she needs to talk to you. I don't know what it's about...she said she'll only talk to you."_

Lorelai frowned, "Gigi wants to talk to me?" Rory glanced at Luke who looked just as confused as she did.

 _"I know that you have a million things going on right now. But she seems to be adamant about it. I told her what was going on...so she wouldn't ask to speak to you if she didn't really think it was important or helpful." Sherry explained._

Lorelai looked at her husband, "Well...then of course I'll talk to her. Where are you?"

 _"About ten minutes outside Stars Hollow...I probably should have called sooner. But I didn't know what to say. Is it okay if we come by?" Sherry asked nervously._

Lorelai glanced around the kitchen, "Yes. Of course. We're here...just come by."

 _"Okay. We'll be there shortly…" Sherry said before she hung up._

Lorelai closed the phone and handed it back to Rory, "What was that all about?" Rory asked.

"She said Gigi needs to talk to me…" Lorelai said glancing at her daughter.

Rory frowned, "Gigi? Do you think she knows something?"

Lorelai sighed, "I...I don't know." She looked at her husband who was staring intently at her, "It's weird...throughout all of this...I never thought about Gigi. He's her father too...what does this mean for her? I mean I can't imagine what she must be feeling...how confused she must be."

Rory bit her lip, "I tried to keep in contact with her...but it was too hard for me."

Lorelai turned back to her, "Someday she'll understand that Rory…"

"Maybe." Rory whispered, "Or maybe she'll hate me…"

Lorelai sighed and put an arm around her shoulder, "Rory…"

"I hate my father." Rory said as tears welled up in her eyes, "I wish everyday that he was dead. Maybe that's wrong...but I do. But...Gigi is still a kid. She's only 10. How can she possibly understand all this? She knows I have other siblings...she knows that I spend time with them."

Lorelai kissed the top of her head, "Rory don't…"

Luke gave his wife's arm a squeeze before he whispered, "I'm going to go talk to the police...let them know we are expecting company. They will probably want to know what she has to say too…"

Lorelai gave him a small smile and nodded, "Okay…" When he was gone she turned back to Rory, "Honey...look at me…"

Rory sighed and pulled away as she wiped at her tears, "I'm sorry. I don't mean to upset you. I'm just really confused…"

Lorelai smiled at her, "That makes two of us kid. You aren't the only one trying to wrap their head around all this. I just asked Luke if we would still be together if your Dad never attacked me…"

Rory frowned, "Of course you would. You guys are supposed to be together. It would have happened eventually."

Lorelai nodded, "I know...I momentarily lost my mind. It's an effect from my fear…"

Rory smiled, "Luke loves you…"

Lorelai smiled and gave her a squeeze, "And I love him…" She leaned forward and kissed her forehead, "Come on...they'll be here soon."

* * *

Back in Maine, Jack was sitting on the floor watching Christopher. He had been sitting at the table scribbling in a notepad for a long time. Jack wanted to know what he was writing, but of course even if he could see it he wouldn't know since he couldn't read. He pushed his little legs off the floor and walked to the table beside him.

"What are you doing?" Jack asked as he peered over the edge of the table at him.

Chris snapped out of his daze and glanced at Jack again, "What?"

"What are you doing?" Jack asked again as he pushed up on his tip-toes to get a better look.

Chris narrowed his eyes at him suspiciously, "Can you read?"

Jack narrowed his eyes right back, "Yes…" He lied.

Chris smirked, "No you can't." He went back to writing, "So I have nothing to worry about." He looked at the kid out of the corner of his eyes and cocked his head to the side, "Go back over there…"

Jack shook his head and whined, "It's boring here…"

Chris sighed, "Well you're going to have to find a way to entertain yourself kid."

Jack was quiet, "Do you miss Rory?" He saw Chris flinch, "Mommy says when she's away from me she misses me all the time. But you have been gone…" He thought for a moment, "Well at least my whole life...so do you miss Rory?"

Chris huffed slowly and put his pen down, "Rory is my daughter."

Jack raised an eyebrow, "She shares my Daddy…"

Chris pursed his lips and rolled his eyes, "Lucky her…"

"Do you miss Rory?" He asked again as he went up and down on his toes.

Christopher pushed back in his seat and frowned, "Yes."

Jack climbed up on the chair next to him, "Well then why didn't we go and see her like you promised?"

"Because I don't think she would be very happy to see me." He said with a sad smile.

Jack swung his legs back and forth, "I'm always happy to see my Daddy...why wouldn't she be happy to see you if you're her Daddy?"

Chris groaned and rubbed the back of his neck, "Jack...you're just a kid. You wouldn't understand…"

Jack huffed and crossed his arms over his chest, "I hate when Mommy says that…"

He laughed, "I'm sure you do. But it's the truth...you would never understand what I told you. And I doubt your Mom wants you to know about it anyway."

"Mommy tells me everything." Jack said as he leaned against the table, "At least I think she does…" He frowned.

Chris smirked, "Your Mom is a vault...she keeps plenty hidden away from the rest of the world. Even from the people she cares about most."

"What does that mean? That she's a vault?" Jack asked softly.

Chris laughed and shook his head, "You wouldn't understand. You're just a…"

"Kid." Jack finished for him, "I know…"

"Tell me about your Mom and Dad…" Chris said suddenly without thinking.

Jack frowned, "Don't you already know them?"

Chris nodded, "Yes. But I want to know what you think of them…"

Jack sat down on his hands and smiled, "Well Daddy is really strong." He watched as Chris tensed, "He can fix anything. Which is good because Mommy breaks a lot of things...but Daddy always fixes it."

Chris smirked, "She must like that…"

Jack kept talking, "And Daddy is a really good cook. I like going to the Diner and watching him work. Sometimes he takes me and helps me bake pies. I always wear my flannel shirt and my hat…"

"The one you were wearing at the park…" Chris whispered softly.

Jack nodded, "Mhm. Mommy bought it for me. I wear it all the time. I want to be just like my Dad. He's brave and funny. And he teaches me all about sports and how to fix things. He makes Mommy smile...even when she is sad."

Chris felt tears burning in his eyes, "And your Mom? What's she like?"

Jack smiled, "Mommy is so much fun. She's always dancing...even if there is no music she makes it up on her own. And she loves to play with me...she makes funny voices for all my toys. And she doesn't care if I make a mess...she says that's the best part about being a kid."

Chris swallowed hard, "I loved your Mother very much once…"

Jack frowned, "Is that why you had Rory?"

Chris stared at him with a confused expression, "What?"

Jack shrugged, "Daddy said that when two people love each other they make a baby…"

Chris's mouth opened and he couldn't hide his smile, "Oh…" He rubbed the back of his neck, "Um...well yeah I guess. Yes. When we had Rory...I loved her. And after…"

"But she is married to my Daddy and not you…" Jack said with a shrug, "So...she didn't love you back?"

He rested his elbows on the table, "Jack...do you know what jail is? Prison?" He asked.

"That's where cops put the bad guys. And Spider man and all the other superheros help them." Jack said.

Chris couldn't help but smile at his innocence, "Uh...right. That's right." He took a deep breath and then continued, "Well...that's where I have been. That's why you never saw me until now…"

Jack frowned, "So you did a bad thing? And the cops and the superheros had to come take you away?"

"Well not superheros…" Chris said with a laugh, "But cops yes…"

Jack was quiet and then he jumped down from his chair and stood behind it, "So...you are a bad guy. You did something bad…"

Christopher could tell he was scared of him, he turned towards him and tried to speak in a soothing voice, "Jack I'm not going to hurt you…"

"You lied to me about Rory…" Jack said with a pout, "Why should I believe you now?"

He sighed and pushed his chair back, "I guess you shouldn't…"

"Are you going to take me home soon?" Jack whispered softly from behind the chair.

Chris looked down at his notepad and then back at Jack, "I haven't decided yet…"

Jack turned and walked back to the floor in front of the couch and sat down, "What thing did you do that was bad?"

The silence permeated the room, and Christopher tried to think of how to respond. "Jack…"

"Did you hurt Rory?" Jack asked as he pulled at the strings on the carpet.

"No." Chris sighed and shook his head, "Well...yes I guess I did in a way."

Jack pulled harder until the strings popped out of the rug, "Did you hurt Mommy?"

He let out a shallow breath and nodded, "Yes...I did. And I am sorry for it...but I'm not sure she will ever forgive me."

"If you are sorry...then why did you take me?" Jack asked softly, "Wouldn't that hurt Mommy again? Or…" He paused and swallowed hard, "Does Mommy not want me anymore?"

Chris pushed the chair back and walked over to the small boy, "That's not…" He sat down in front of him and tried to think of what to say, "I know that your Mommy loves you very much. She has too...she loves Rory immensely. I am sure that she loves you and your other sister just as much."

"So...if you are sorry for hurting Mommy...then why did you do it again?" Jack asked again trying hard to understand.

Chris began pulling at the threads on the carpet too, "I don't know…"

"Daddy says there is always a reason for making a bad choice." Jack said with a pout, "Like when I lie to him about eating too many cookies before dinner…"

Christopher laughed again, "I think this is a little more serious than eating too many cookies buddy…"

Jack frowned, "Don't call me that…My Da-"

"Sorry." Chris whispered, "I uh...I did a bad thing taking you with me. And I'm sorry for that too...but it doesn't really matter."

Jack pulled another string and whispered, "Are you going to take me home?"

Chris sighed and glanced sadly at the boy, "You'll go home…"

Jack pouted and shook his head, "But are _you_ going to take me there?"

Chris smiled, "Let me say this in terms you will understand…" He shifted in his spot, "You like superheros right?"

Jack nodded, "Yep."

Chris nodded, "Well in this situation...let's say I'm Lex Luther. And your Mom and Dad are Wonder Woman and Superman. Who usually wins in those fights?"

Jack smiled, "Superman and Wonder Woman…"

Chris's smile faded slightly and he nodded, "Then I guess you're going home…" He pushed himself off the floor and started to walk towards the kitchen, "Are you hungry?"

Jack frowned, "So does that mean you'll go back to jail with the other bad guys?"

Chris stood at the stove and shrugged, "I guess we're going to have to wait to see about that part...sometimes the bad guy gets away in those stories, doesn't he?"

"Sometimes…" Jack whispered. "But I don't think my Daddy will let you get away…"

Chris poured himself a glass of water and then lifted it to his lips, "I think you're probably right about that Jack…"

Jack glanced out the window and noticed that the sun was beginning to set. He saw a few quick flashes and knew they were fireflies again. He looked down at the rug and pulled harder at the threads, "Are you scared?" He whispered.

Christopher turned to look at him again, "Me?" Jack nodded and Chris smiled, "Yes. I am…"

Jack yanked the tread all the way out of the rug, "I was scared when you took me here...but I'm not anymore. Mommy and Daddy are going to find me."

Chris swallowed hard, "I'm sure they will…"

Jack stood up and walked towards the stairs, "And then you'll go away just like all the other bad guys…" He said with his back to him.

Chris let out a breath of air and put his glass down. He watched the little boy climb the stairs one at a time and then heard the slam of the door signaling he had gone back to his room. He looked out the window and wondered how much longer he could get away with this game. He walked back to the table, looked down at the letter and signed his name on it.

He tore the piece of paper out of the notebook, slid it to the center of the table and then returned to the kitchen. He took out a few pots and pans and decided to make some dinner for at least himself. If Jack decided to eat that was fine...but for now Christopher had to enjoy what little time he had left.

* * *

 **Hope it was worth the wait. I will hopefully find time tomorrow to start the next chapter!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey guys, here is the next chapter! Thanks for your patience :)**

* * *

Lorelai sat anxiously in the living room waiting for Sherry and Gigi to arrive. Luke was talking to Rory and one of the officers in the corner. Jess, April and Liz had taken Elise out back to give them all some space. Luke glanced over at his wife and saw the faraway expression on her face again, he excused himself and walked over to her slowly.

"Hey…" Luke whispered taking her hand in his, "You okay?"

She turned to him and offered a slight smile, "I'm trying really hard to not get my hopes up…"

Luke nodded slowly, "I know…"

She opened her mouth to say something else but they heard the knock on the door, she jumped up and practically ran to the door. She knew Luke and Rory were standing behind her as she reached for the doorknob and opened it slowly. She saw Sherry standing awkwardly on the porch and whens he glanced down, she saw a pair of feet peeking out from behind her.

"Hi…" Sherry whispered as she reached behind her to try and get Gigi to show herself, "Um...I'm sorry to just show up like this."

Lorelai tried to smile, "It's okay…" She glanced around Sherry, "Hi Gigi…"

Sherry tried to pull at her arm, "Gigi...it's okay. You know Lorelai...come say hi."

Gigi poked her head around and glanced at Lorelai nervously, "Hi…"

Lorelai swallowed hard, knelt down and tried to keep her voice calm, "I uh...I heard you wanted to talk to me about something."

Gigi glanced back at Luke and Rory who both smiled shyly at her. "I only want to talk to you…"

Lorelai glanced back at her husband and Rory and then turned back to Gigi, "Well...we can do that. Where would you like to talk?"

Gigi glanced back towards the lake, "Can we go over there?"

Lorelai smiled, "Sure...do you want your Mom to come?"

Gigi nodded slowly, "Yes please…"

Lorelai smiled, stood up and glanced at Luke and Rory, "I'll be back…" They both looked at her questioningly but she just shook her head, "Let's go…"

Lorelai lead Sherry and towards the lake, her heart ached because this was one of Jack's favorite spots. The sun was setting over the water and she found it hard to believe that another day was passing without knowing where her son could possibly be. Lorelai stopped when they reached the edge and turned back to Sherry who smiled and pushed Gigi forward a little.

Lorelai could tell the girl was nervous, "It's been a long time since I've seen you…" Lorelai said as she sat down on the grass, Gigi sat next to her, "You have grown up quite a bit!"

Gigi frowned and looked at the water, "You sent my Dad away…"

Lorelai grimaced and began to nervously pick at the grass beside her, "Gigi…"

"I know what he did. And I'm sorry he hurt you." Gigi said sadly as she glanced back at Lorelai, "I always liked you…"

Lorelai sighed and nodded slowly, "Gigi...I'm really sorry about everything. I can't even imagine how confusing this must all be for you. I'm sorry that you had to grow up without your Dad the last few years. I wish it was different…"

Gigi bit her lip, "Mom said that he took your son...Rory's brother."

Lorelai felt her heart start to pound in her chest, "Um...yes he did. Jack. He's five…"

Gigi pulled at the grass at her feet, "Grandma used to take me to see Dad a lot when he was in jail. We talked about all the things we would do when he was home...he was going to take me to Disney World."

"Gigi...your Dad loves you very much. I know that…" She whispered.

Gigi shook her head, "If he loved me he wouldn't do things that would make him be away from me again…"

Lorelai sighed, "Gigi...your Dad just made some bad decisions. It doesn't change how much he loves you. I'm so sorry that-"

"Last time I saw him...he told me about a house his Grandpa left him." She said looking quickly at Lorelai.

Her heart at this point was beating so hard she was sure it was going to stop at any moment, "What house?"

"He said it was in Maine...he was going to take me there as soon as Mom agreed to it. He said we could spend a whole week up there." Gigi said with tears in her eyes, "He also said no one knew about the house except us…"

Lorelai gasped slightly, "Gigi…"

"I don't want my Dad to go away again." She looked over at the lake, "But...I would be really scared if someone took me away from my home."

Lorelai nodded quickly, "Anyone would be…"

Gigi shrugged, "I don't know if that's where he took Jack...but...I thought you should know about it. Just in case…" She shook her head, "I don't know where it is...maybe Grandma does. But…" She had tears welling up in her eyes, "I just...wanted to tell you that."

Lorelai had tears pouring down her cheeks, "Thank you Gigi...you are a very brave young girl. Did you know that?"

Gigi smiled, "Do you think...that sometimes I could come see Rory? And maybe you? Without Dad...I don't have much family other than Mom."

Lorelai's heart ached and she leaned forward to hug the small girl, "Gigi...you are welcome here anytime. We should have made sure you knew that...I'm sorry."

Sherry walked closer to them and put a hand on Gigi's arm, "Come on honey...we should probably go home. I'm sure Lorelai has a lot to think about."

Lorelai glanced up at her, "Sherry…"

Sherry smiled sadly, "Go talk to Francine...I bet she knows more than she is willing to admit."

Lorelai sighed, "I never wanted any of this to happen…"

Sherry nodded as Gigi and Lorelai both stood up, "I know Lorelai...and I don't blame you for a thing. Christopher is an adult...and he made terrible choices. I hope what Gigi told you will help...and I hope you can bring Jack home soon. If there is anything else we can do…"

Lorelai smiled, "Thank you…" She turned back to Gigi, "And thank you Gigi…"

Gigi nodded, "You're welcome…" She took her Mom's hand and they both waved at Lorelai as they began to walk away.

Lorelai waited until her breathing had returned to normal and then she practically ran back to the house. She flung the door open which made Luke and Rory jump.

"What is it?" Luke asked as he rushed to her side.

She glanced at her husband and then at the cops behind her, "Christopher has a house in Maine. His Grandparents left it to him...he told Gigi about it. He said he wanted to take her there...but no one else really knew about it."

Luke let out a shaky breath, "You think he took Jack there?"

Lorelai shrugged, "I don't know...but I can tell you that I'm going to find out where it is and check it from top to bottom."

Luke nodded, "I'm coming with you."

"Me too." Rory said stepping towards her Mom.

Lorelai shook her head, "Rory you need to stay here...I need you to stay here. For my own sanity…"

"Mom...Jack is my brother." Rory said with tears welling up in her eyes.

"I know." Lorelai said grasping her hands in hers, "But if they are there...and your Father is there...I don't want you to see him. Not like this…"

"We would both feel more at ease if you were here with Jess taking care of April and Elise." Luke said, "Liz will stay with you guys too...and we will call your grandparents. You know we will call you as soon as we know something."

Rory bit her lip, "Do you really think he's there?"

"God I hope so." Lorelai said pulling her in for a hug, "I don't know how much more of this I can take…"

Rory held her mother close and glanced out the window behind her, she smiled and pulled away as she turned her Mother towards the window, "Fireflies…" She whispered.

Lorelai's breath caught in her throat, "Fireflies…"

Luke walked over to Lorelai, grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze, "Let's get everything in order. I want to leave as soon as possible."

She turned to her husband, "Luke…"

He nodded slowly, "I know…"

She let him lead her upstairs where they began to pack things they would need and even clothes for Jack. Richard and Emily were called and were now on their way to the house. Liz, Jess, April and Rory were told to stay in the house with the supervision of a police officer at all times. Lorelai was putting things in a bag when April poked her head into the room carrying Jack's bunny Oscar.

April's eyes were full of tears, "If he is there...I want him to have this right away."

Lorelai took the bunny from her hands and ran her thumb over the soft material, "I don't know what I am going to do if he isn't there...I'm trying to hard to not get my hopes up." She bit her lip and looked back at her step-daughter, "But if I don't see him today...it is going to break my heart even more than it already is."

April nodded, "I know…"

Lorelai wiped at her tears, zipped up the bag and put the bunny under her arm, "We should get on the road…"

April took her hand and led her down the hallway and down the stairs. Luke was talking to a few officers making sure everyone was safe at the house. When he saw his wife, he stood up straighter, said his goodbyes and let Lorelei say hers. They climbed into the back of the police cruiser and drove over to talk to Francine once again.

She seemed to be waiting for them as the pulled into the driveway, Lorelai's heart was pounding in her chest as Luke helped her out of the car. Francine stepped off the front porch, and walked over to them.

"Francine…" Lorelai whispered softly.

The older woman smiled, "Sherry called…"

"Do you know where the house is?" Luke asked hopefully.

"It was Straub's family home...we never visited. Straub didn't have a good relationship with his parents." She sighed and pulled out a piece of paper, "I honestly haven't thought of the house in years...I didn't even know it was left to Christopher."

"But you know where it is?" Lorelai asked as she felt Luke put a gentle hand on her back.

Francine held the piece of paper out to her and sighed, "This is the address I have for it...I found it in a box of Straub's old things."

Lorelai took the paper with trembling hands, "Francine I…"

She shook her head slowly, "Just go…"

Lorelai swallowed hard, "I'm sorry…"

The woman nodded slowly and wiped at her eyes, "I am too...for a lot of things." She sniffled and waved them off, "Go find your son...I'll be fine." She bit her lip, "All I ask is…" She looked at Luke, "Don't kill him…"

Luke stood up straight and took a breath trying to think of what to say, "I…"

She smiled at him, "I don't blame you for wanting to...and he probably deserves it. But...for my sake...please don't…"

Luke nodded slowly and looked at Lorelai, they both gave her a small smile and then walked back to the cruiser. They gave the address to them and backup was called. And before they knew it...they were on the road to Maine and hopefully their son.

In the cruiser, Lorelai was unable to keep still in her seat. She was rocking back and forth, tapping her foot and smoothing her hands along her legs. Luke finally grabbed her hand and tried to calm her.

"Lorelai stop…" He whispered as he scooted closer to her, "You are going to make yourself sick."

She shook her head, "Luke...what if he's not there?"

Luke sighed and gave her hand a harder squeeze, "Then we will keep looking until we do find him."

"But what if he is there...but he's…" Her eyes welled up with tears and she glanced at him with fear, "Oh God…"

He shook his head, "Don't go there…"

She took a few deep breaths and tried to calm herself down, "I just...I keep thinking of all the possible scenarios in my head. And it's making me crazy. And until I see him...until I know that he's okay...I'm not going to be able to relax."

"Look...when we get there...we can't just run in there. The cops have a protocol for this type of thing. Plus we don't want to spook Christopher." He said softly, "We need to follow their lead here…"

"I just want to see Jack." She said softly, "I need to see him...I need to know he's okay. And I'm so scared Luke...I'm so scared."

He pulled her close and let her rest her head on his shoulder, "I know. I am too. But Jack needs us to be strong."

She swallowed hard and put a hand on his chest as he held her close, "When he comes home...how do we explain this to him? What if he thinks we didn't want him with us?"

He cringed and gave her arm a squeeze, "He won't think that...Jack knows that we love him. We're going to have get help...talk to people on how to deal with this. Just like we did when everything happened with you. But no matter what...we are going to do this together. Alright?"

She nodded slowly and held him close, "He has to be there…"

Luke closed his eyes, "God I hope so…"

* * *

A few hours later in Maine, Jack had not come downstairs again. Chris had sat in the living room alone for awhile going over and over the last few years in his head. None of it seemed real. But he knew time was running out. He had to start making decisions. But at the moment all he could think about was having an ice cold beer…

He pulled himself up off the couch, walked up the stairs and tapped on the door to where Jack was staying. He pushed the door open and found the small boy sitting on the bed staring out the window at the fireflies blinking there.

"I'm going into town...which means you have to stay up here." Jack didn't respond so Chris continued, "Do you want me to get you anything?"

Jack shook his head, "No thank you…"

Chris sighed, turned around and quickly locked the door from the outside. He padded down the stairs, grabbed his wallet and keys and made his way into town. If this was going to be his last few nights of freedom he may as well enjoy them. Jack watched Chris pull out of the driveway from the window. He rested his head on the windowsill and then turned back to the fireflies as they blinked back at them.

"Where are you Mommy?" He whispered sadly. "I want to go home…"

As they reached the townline, the cops pulled over and began to discuss a plan outside of the car. Lorelai and Luke were standing by waiting for them to explain everything to them and becoming anxious to get there.

"We would prefer you two to stay in the car. That way we can assess the situation." The first cop said to Luke and Lorelai, "It will probably be safer for everyone…"

"I want to go in." Lorelai said quickly, "That's my son…"

"Mrs. Danes...I know that this is difficult for you. But we don't know what we are going to find inside the house. We don't know what kind of mental state Mr. Hayden is in...and we don't want to upset him." He said.

Luke took a deep breath, "Lorelai...maybe it's for the best."

She looked at him with shock on her face, "But Luke…"

He grabbed her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, "We will see Jack as soon as possible. We need to make sure he is safe...and you too. I don't want Christopher to see you. I don't want him anywhere near you."

She sighed and tapped her foot on the ground, "Fine…" She glanced up at the officers, "I need you to take my son straight to us...please. I'm begging you…"

"As soon as we know he is safe and the location is clear...he will be with you. I can assure you that." He said.

She nodded slowly, "Okay...let's go."

Luke pulled her towards the car again and they sat as close as possible as they began to pull down the road. The officers noted that the location was off the regular path so they hid their cruisers as best as possible to not startle Christopher. They sat for a moment and waited. Lorelai felt nauseous, she wanted to run from the car straight at the house. But Luke had his hands on her legs making sure she couldn't go anywhere.

And suddenly there were headlights on the path and Luke tensed beside her, "Luke…" She whispered.

"Breath…" He whispered to her, but he felt his own heart threatening to pop out of his chest.

They waited and watched the car pull up in front of the house. A figure stepped out and Lorelai's breath caught in her throat. She would recognize him anywhere. After years of knowing him and the last few having him haunt her dreams...he was a permanent fixture in her head. She squeezed Luke's hand when he felt the rage begin to course through his body. And suddenly everything was happening so fast, the cops were exiting the car and surrounding him. Lorelai watched as Christopher dropped the bag in his hand, she heard glass shatter and watched him bolt towards the words.

Luke dropped her hand and was out of the car before she could react. She went to scream his name but instinct took over her own body. She felt her legs shaking as she pulled herself from the car and walked as fast as she could to the house. There were a few officers walking into the house slowly and looking around. She sped up and took off through the front door.

Luke was the closest to Christopher and he could hear the police screaming at him to stop. Christopher took a sharp turn and Luke stumbled but found himself hot on his heels within seconds. Christopher glanced behind him as he ran and he tripped, Luke lunged and tackled him to the forest floor.

"You son of a bitch!" Luke screamed as he started pounding into Christopher's face, "You took my son! You son of a bitch!"

Christopher lifted his hands in defeat and tried to stop him, "Luke!" He screamed.

The cops pulled at Luke's arms but he threw them aside and practically growled at them, his hands instinctively went to Christopher's neck and he pressed down hard. Christopher's eyes popped in his head and he grabbed onto Luke's forearms but didn't try to stop him. Luke watched his face turn bright red, he could hear Lorelai's voice in his head but he couldn't stop himself.

"Mr. Danes! Let go!" One of the officers called from behind him.

Luke shook his head and eased up only enough for Christopher to get a few breaths in, "You took my son…" He said in a desperate voice.

Christopher gasped, "You w-wa-want to k-k-kill me?" He could see the fire burning in Luke's eyes and he didn't blame him, "Go ah-ahead…"

Luke's hands stilled at his words and he rolled off of Christopher's bod. He knelt on all fours and tried to catch his breath. He watched as the officers pulled Christopher off the ground. There was blood pouring from his nose and Luke grimaced at the sight.

"Why didn't you kill me?" Christopher asked, he almost sounded disappointed, "Why? I deserve it!"

Luke was still on the ground as he stared up at him, "Death would be to easy for you...God I wish I could. But unlike you...I don't like to hurt the people I love." He pulled himself up and glared at Christopher, "But if I find out you hurt even a hair on my son's head...I can't promise I'll be so forgiving. You better hope they keep you away from me."

Luke turned quickly and started running back to the house. He heard the commotion around him but he didn't care. He needed to see Lorelai and he had to know that Jack was alive and well.

* * *

In the house, Lorelai had pushed past the officers and stumbled up the stairs. She checked the open rooms and then spotted a room at the end of the hallway with a closed door. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she walked to it slowly. She heard someone call out to her but she ignored it. She turned the doorknob slowly, inside the room was dark as she stepped inside.

"Jack?" She whispered in a trembling but hopeful voice.

Her breath caught in her throat as the top of a curly head popped out from around the bed, "Mommy?"

Lorelai's knees gave out and she collapsed on the floor, "Oh baby…"

Jack pulled himself off the floor, ran at his Mom and threw himself into his arms, "Mommy! Mommy you came!"

Lorelai was sobbing as she held him close, "Oh Jack...Oh God…" She pulled him away so she could look at him, "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?" She started prepping kisses along his face, "Jack...my Jack…"

"Mommy…" Jack squirmed trying to get away from her kisses, "Is Daddy here?"

Lorelai hiccuped as she looked him from head to toe still feeling like he was just a mirage, "Jack…"

"I'm sorry I went with him...he said he was going to take me to see Rory. And I thought Rory would be happy if she saw her real Daddy. But he's not nice…" Jack said with a pout, "He lied...and he took me here instead."

Lorelai pulled him close again never wanting to let him go, "I'm so sorry Jack…"

"Lorelai?" A voice screamed into the house, "Lorelai!"

She knew it was Luke, but she could also hear officers holding him back. She lifted her son and walked on shaky legs down the stairs, she spotted Luke and saw the blood on his hands. Her breath caught in her throat as he pushed past the officers holding her back, "Jack…" He whispered.

Jack turned in his Mother's arms and smiled at Luke, "Daddy…"

Luke stumbled towards them and enveloped them both in his arms, "Jack…"

"Are you hurt Daddy?" Jack asked as he looked at Luke's hands which were covered in blood, "Where's Christopher?"

Lorelai's eyes shot up and she glanced at her husband with worry in her eyes, "Luke…"

He shook his head, "Jack...you never have to see him again." He took his son into his arms and held him close, "Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"

Lorelai brushed back Jack's hair as he held his father close, "No...he gave me food. But it wasn't good like yours...he tried to make me eat shrimp." He stuck his tongue out and Lorelai and Luke could only laugh. "It was smelly…"

"You are so your Mother's son…" Luke laughed as he kissed his small head, "God buddy...you have no idea how much we have missed you…" He felt the tears pooling in his eyes as he held him close, "I am so sorry that this happened…"

"Mr. and Mrs. Danes? We have paramedics outside, we'd like to have Jack checked out." One of the officers said.

"I don't want to go." Jack said burying his head in his Dad's shoulder, "Please Daddy…I want to go home."

Luke sighed and rubbed his back, "It's alright buddy...they aren't going to take you away from us. They just want to make sure you aren't hurt."

"He didn't hurt me." Jack said shaking his head, "I want to go home."

Lorelai sighed and leaned up to kiss Jack's cheek, "Daddy and I aren't going to leave your side, okay? I promise. It will be okay. Just let them look at you really quick."

"You promise you'll stay close?" Jack asked as he peeked over at her.

Lorelai smiled and smoothed his hair back again, "I promise baby."

Jack nodded and Luke and began to walk him out to the ambulance out front. Luke put Jack down in the back of the ambulance and smiled at him as the paramedics attended to him. Luke and Lorelai never took their eyes off of Jack. Lorelai placed a hand on Luke's arm and whispered to him, "Luke...what happened?"

He tensed and glanced down at his bloody hands and then back up at his son, "Nothing…"

"Luke…" She said softly as she turned to look at his face, "Where is he?"

Luke sighed and turned to the left where he saw a cruiser, he could just make out the back of Christopher's head. "They have him…"

"Did you…?" She whispered as she gestured down to his hands again.

Luke glanced over at her and swallowed hard, "He's alive...that's all that matters, right?"

She opened her mouth to speak but instead she fell into his arms, he held her close and kissed the top of her head. After a minute, Lorelai pulled away and went to sit beside Jack to make him feel better. One of the paramedics pulled Luke aside to tend to the cuts on his hands. After speaking to a few Detectives, they decided to find a hotel for the night because it was so late.

It would be to hard to bring Jack all the way home now. And just for tonight, both Luke and Lorelai wanted to be alone with their son. Once they got settled in, Lorelai went to give Jack a bath and Luke called the house.  
 _  
"Hello? Luke? Where are you? Do you have Jack?" A frantic Rory called out to him._

"We have him." Luke said softly as he turned to look at the open bathroom door, "He's alright."

 _"They have Jack! He's okay!" Rory yelled to the rest of her family._

Luke smiled when he could hear the loud chatter coming from behind her, "Look...it's really late. Jack is exhausted and so are we. We got a room to spend the night...and we will be back first thing in the morning."

 _"What happened with my Dad?" Rory whispered into the phone._

Luke grimaced, "He's...he's in custody right now. We'll know more later. Right now I'm just focussed on Jack…"

 _"Is Mom okay?" Rory asked, "He didn't hurt Jack at all did he?"_

"He was checked out by the paramedics and they said he is fine. Tired and hungry but fine. Jack said he didn't touch him." Luke said as he sat down on the edge of the bed.

 _"Oh thank God…" Rory said through tears, "Will you give him a hug for me?"_

"Of course. We will be back tomorrow." Luke promised, "Call if you need anything."

 _"I love you Luke." Rory whispered into the phone._

Luke swallowed the lump in her throat, "I love you too Rory...everything is going to be alright now. He's safe...we're all safe."

 _He heard her breath softly, "He's safe…" She sniffled slightly, "Give Mom a hug too. I'll see you guys tomorrow."_

"Goodnight Rory. Try and get some sleep." He hung up the phone, took a few deep breaths and then pulled himself up off the bed.

He walked towards the bathroom and pushed the door open slightly. He smiled when he saw Lorelai kneeling on the floor in front of the tub as Jack sat in the bubbles and sang with her.

"You are my sunshine...my only sunshine…" Lorelai sang with tears in her eyes.

"You make me happy when skies are grey…" Jack sang back as he pushed at the bubbles around him.

She wiped at her tears and reached a hand out to touch his soapy head, "You'll never know dear how much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away…" She whimpered slightly and shook her head, "Jack…"

"Don't be sad Mommy…" Jack said smiling at her, "I'm okay now."

She nodded slowly, "I know baby...but I just hate that he did that to you. I'm so sorry…"

Luke walked into the bathroom and sat next to his wife and son, "I just talked to Rory...everyone is really excited to see you tomorrow buddy."

Jack smiled, "I saw lots of fireflies…" He said, "I could see them from my room and I remembered what April said…"

Lorelai gasped slightly, "You did?"

Jack nodded, "Mhm...they made me feel better when I was really scared."

Lorelai leaned forward and kissed his wet face, "We saw them too honey…"

Jack splashed at the water, "Mommy, can I ask you something?"

She wiped at her face again as Luke rubbed her back, "Sure."

Jack bit his lip and nervously pushed bubbles around, "He said he did something bad to you...he said he had to go to jail. What did he do?"

Lorelai sat up straighter and glanced at Luke with a nervous expression. Luke sighed and then rested his arm on the side of the tub. "Jack...it's complicated."

Jack frowned, "But I want to know…"

Lorelai swallowed hard and stared back at her son, "Jack...what else did he tell you?"

Jack shrugged, "He said he loved you a lot...and that he missed you and Rory. He said you were a vault...but I don't know what that means."

Lorelai frowned, "Jack...sometimes in life people make bad choices."

"Lorelai…" Luke whispered softly, not sure if this was the right time.

She shook her head, "After everything he's been through...he deserves to hear the truth." She said softly, Luke stared at her for a moment and then nodded slowly, she turned back to her son and pressed on, "Before you were born...Mommy and Daddy had a big fight. And...we both made some bad choices. And I tried to be in with Rory's father again…"

Jack frowned, "So you were with him and not Daddy?"

Lorelai nodded and shifted nervously, "Yes...but Christopher knew that I still loved your Daddy very much. And...that made him angry." She took a deep breath and pushed on, "And we got into a fight...and he…" She felt Luke begin to rub her back to help her continue, "He hurt me…"

"How?" Jack asked staring at his Mother sadly.

Lorelai reached up and wiped her tears away, "Well he hit me Jack…"

Jack's lip started to tremble, "He-he did?"

Lorelai nodded slowly, "Yes buddy...and that is never okay. No one should ever do that to someone. And so the police came and took him away...but then they let him out. And he was still angry...and that's why he came after you. And I'm so sorry...I'm so sorry Jack. You will never understand how much your Daddy and I love you and how much it hurts knowing what he did to you."

Jack frowned and looked down at the bubbles again, then back at his Mommy, "I'm sorry he hurt you Mommy…"

Lorelai whimpered, "Jack…"

He shivered slightly and started to pull out of the tub, he leaned over and kissed her nose, "I love you Mommy."

Lorelai rested her forehead against his tiny one, "I love you too baby. You will never know how much I love you…"

He pulled away a little, "I'm sleepy…"

Luke smiled and reached for a towel, "Let's get you out of here and into bed." He scooped him up swung him back and forth making the small boy giggle as they walked back to the bedroom.

He toweled him off as Lorelai got his pajamas out of the bags they brought. She smiled and pulled out the stuffed bunny from April. She walked over to the bed and sat down beside Jack as she handed Luke his clothes. Jack stepped into the pants his father held out to him and then into the shirt before he plopped down on the bed.

"April gave me something to bring to you…" She said holding out the bunny to him, "She thought he might make you feel better."

Jack smiled and hugged the bunny close, "Oscar!" Lorelai ruffled his damp hair and smiled at him, "April's home too?"

"Yeah buddy. Everyone is at home waiting for you." Luke said, "But tonight...you need to get some sleep."

"Are you going to stay with me?" Jack asked nervously, "I didn't like being alone in that room…"

Lorelai pulled at the covers and patted the space at the top of the bed, "Come on up here bud. Dad and I are going to be right beside you."

Jack climbed under the covers and Luke and Lorelai lay down on either side of him. Jack snuggled up against Lorelai and she began to run her hands through his hair and hum softly to him. Luke rested his head on his hand and watched the scene in front of him. It wasn't long before Jack's eyes began to flutter quickly and his breathing began to slow down.

Lorelai pressed a kiss to the top of his head and held him close, "It's okay buddy...go to sleep. You're safe now."

Jack let out a soft snore and snuggled his head into her neck before he gave into sleep. Lorelai closed her eyes and tried to keep the tears at bay. Luke seemed to sense the emotions coursing through her. He reached over and put a gentle hand on her shoulder and began to rub small circles there.

"He's safe now...he's with us." Luke whispered softly.

She sniffled slightly and continued to run her hands through her sons hair, "I know…" She glanced up at her husband, "But it still breaks my heart…"

He nodded slowly, "I understand…"

Lorelai lifted her hand from Jack's head and reached for one of Luke's hands, "What happened?"

Luke sighed and flexed his fingers a few times, "I...just couldn't control myself. When I saw him run...I had to get to him first. And I did...did quite a number on his face. Not proud of that...and I tried…"

"You tried to what?" Lorelai said softly unable to take her eyes off of him.

"I just lost it…" Luke whispered, "I wanted to...I had my hands wrapped around his neck. And he didn't even look scared. When I let go...he looked and sounded disappointed. Like he wanted me to do it…"

Lorelai frowned, "He always liked an easy way out…"

Luke sighed, "I'm sorry...I know I promised not to hurt him. But when I saw him run...I just panicked. I was so afraid that he would get away...that he would be out there and able to hurt someone in our family. I couldn't allow that to happen…"

She nodded slowly and reached out to stroke his face, "I understand...but I am glad that you let him go. I need you here...we all need you." She swallowed hard, "I don't know how I would have gotten through this without you…"

He smiled sadly at her, "We're a team, right?"

She nodded slowly and looked down at Jack again, "He's so strong…"

Luke nodded and looked down at his son, "Yes he is. When I saw you walking down the stairs with him...I honestly thought I was going to fall over."

Lorelai smiled, "My knees gave out when I saw him...he was hiding behind the bed. He must have heard all the commotion...but then he saw me and ran to me. I'm surprised I didn't break him in half by how hard I was hugging him…"

Luke chuckled, "I don't know what I would have done if he hadn't been there...if we were still looking."

Lorelai closed her eyes tightly and shook her head as she kissed Jack's head again, "I don't even want to think about it."

"As much as I want to go home...there is part of me that just wants to stay right here forever. Not have to face the rest of it…" Luke said sadly.

She frowned at him, "I know...I'm afraid of what happens next. Having to go through the trial. What it will mean for Jack...how we help him through it." She sighed and began to run her hands through his hair again, "How I'm ever going to be able to let him out of my sight again…"

Luke nodded, "I know...it's going to be a hard transition for all of us."

She glanced up at her husband, "Luke?"

He looked straight into her eyes and tried to smile, "Yeah?"

She swallowed hard and tried to hold his gaze, "You and I are okay, right?"

He frowned and reached a hand out to caress her cheek, "Lorelai?"

She leaned into his touch, "I just...I feel this insane amount of guilt over all of this. And...Christopher has always been a sore spot in our relationship. And we've been so focussed on getting Jack back...but I need to know that you don't hate me for-"

Luke sat up slowly and walked around the the bed to her side, he sat down on the edge and pulled her close as she held Jack, "I don't hate you. I could never hate you. None of this is your fault. Just like Christopher hitting you wasn't your fault...he made his choices Lorelai. You can't control him." He kissed the side of her face, "I love you. And this doesn't change that. If anything it's made me love you more...made me appreciate what an amazing life we have together. I will do anything and everything to protect our family for the rest of my life. You are my world...don't you ever doubt how much I love you. Alright?"

She let out a shaky breath and turned to bury her face in his neck. She still had Jack pressed into her side as she breathed in the familiar and comforting scent of her husband. She began to cry softly as he held her close, "I love you Luke...I love you so much. I'm sorry I-"

He shook his head and kissed her head gently, "Shhh...stop apologizing. Everything is going to be okay now...we'll figure it out together…"

She nodded against him and felt Jack snuggle closer to her still. She turned slightly so Luke would spoon her from behind and she pulled Jack into her arms. Luke wrapped his arms around both of them as they lay together in the bed and hoped that he was able to keep them safe from the obstacles ahead. He felt Lorelai begin to relax as she rested her head against Jack's curly head. He pressed a kiss to her temple and whispered words of comfort and love until he heard her breath even out.

He lay there for a few moments watching them both to make sure this wasn't all a dream. If he woke up tomorrow to find out that his son was still missing he wasn't sure if he could handle it. As he glanced at his hand that was over his son's shoulder and he saw the red lines from his assault on Christopher's face.

It wasn't the first time he had hit Christopher, he wasn't proud to admit that. But the rage he had felt leading up to that moment was unlike anything he had ever felt. He knew deep down Christopher deserved it, but he wondered if it made him as bad as Chris had been for hitting Lorelai all those years ago. And why had Cristopher been so okay with the idea of Luke taking his life? Is that what Christopher wanted?

What would have happened if they had not found their son today? What would Christopher have done? As his mind bounced from question to question he sighed and buried his face in his wife's curls. Breathing in the familiar scent of her shampoo, he willed himself to go to sleep. Even though they had found their son...their was still quite a battle ahead of them.

* * *

 **Even though they have Jack back, there is still more to come. I am working on the next chapter as we speak so I will try and update soon. Thanks!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hey guys :) Thanks for the feedback. Looking forward to hearing from more of you.**

* * *

The following morning, Lorelai woke with a start. Her dreams were haunted by Jack yelling for her still locked away in the bedroom at Christopher's house. She gasped and looked beside her, Jack stirred slightly and then rolled over away from her. She put a hand over her mouth to keep from crying, but her shoulders shook slightly causing Luke to stir.

He sat up slowly, "Lorelai?"

She whimpered softly and turned towards him, "Sorry...bad dream."

He nodded slowly and then looked past Lorelai to see his son's sleeping form. He kissed the top of her head gently and then crawled out of bed and pulled her up with him. She followed his lead and sat on his lap on one of the chairs in the corner.

"Did you sleep at all?" He asked rubbing a gentle hand up and down her back.

She sighed and rested her head against his, "Yeah...but I just kept dreaming that he was still locked in that room. Still alone…"

Luke gave her a squeeze and glanced over at his son, "He's with us…"

She nodded slowly and looked over at Jack too, "I know…"

He sighed and rested his chin on her shoulder, "Everyone back at home will be anxiously waiting for us...they are going to want to see Jack with their own eyes."

She pulled away slightly and then stood up, pulling at the sleeves of her shirt. She walked back over to the bed and sat down beside Jack on the bed and ran her hands through his hair. "Is he going to be okay?"

Luke frowned, "I don't know Lorelai. We don't know exactly what happened there...he said Christopher didn't hurt him. But I'm sure he's going to have a lot more questions for us. And we will have to figure out how to answer them…"

She bit her lip and looked back at her husband, "Are you mad that I told him what Chris did to me?"

Luke shook his head, "No...I understand why you did it. Jack needed answers…"

She turned back to Jack and placed a gentle kiss on his head, "I just wish he didn't know that there was so much to be afraid of. He was always such a happy kid...so innocent. I don't want this to change him…"

"Unfortunately...it will in some way." Luke whispered, she glanced back at him with tears in her eyes and he sighed, "All we can do is support him now...answer his questions and be there for him in anyway he needs."

She nodded slowly and then stood up again, "You're right…"

Luke walked back to her and placed a kiss on her forehead and then on her lips, "It's going to be okay…"

She smiled softly, "I hope so…"

"Mommy?" Jack's soft sleep filled voice called to her from the bed.

Lorelai turned away from Luke and wiped at the tears in her eyes, "Hey honey…"

Jack sat up and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, "Can we go home now? I miss Paul Anka."

Lorelai smiled and walked back over to him and sat down beside him, "Yeah baby. We can go home...everyone is going to be really excited to see you. Especially Paul Anka…"

Jack crawled into her lap and rested his sleepy head on her shoulder, "Thanks for finding me…"

Lorelai closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around him tightly, "Jack…"

He pulled away and looked back at his Dad, "I asked him to take me home but he said he couldn't. He said he did a bad thing and would be in trouble. But he said that Daddy was like Superman and you were like Wonder Woman and you'd find me. He said he was Lex Luther...the bad guy."

Lorelai glanced back at Luke, he sighed and sat down beside them on the bed, "What else did he say Jack?"

"He said that he was sorry for taking me. But he didn't think he could bring me home." He said with a shrug, "I don't know why. But he said he was scared…"

Luke cleared his throat, "Jack...what he did was wrong. He lied to you...and took you away from us. He knows what he did was wrong...that he was going to be get into trouble."

Jack nodded, "Will he go back to jail now? He said you'd make sure he did."

Luke frowned, "We're going to do everything we can to make sure he never hurts you again Jack...he is in big trouble. Mommy and I aren't going to let anything happen to you again, alright? I don't want you to be afraid…"

Jack frowned and began to play with his mother's hair, "Is Rory going to be mad at me?"

Lorelai rubbed his back gently, "Why would Rory be mad at you Jack?"

Jack shrugged, "Because her Daddy will be in trouble again...and she won't be able to see him. I thought we were going to see her. I thought it would make her happy...she was sad when she saw a picture of him. I wanted to make her happy...but now she will be sad again."

Lorelai leaned forward and kissed his forehead, "Oh honey...Rory just wanted you to come home. That's all that matters to her...she could never be angry at you."

"But he is her Daddy." Jack said softly, "I would be mad if someone took Daddy away from me…"

Lorelai sighed and brushed his hair back, "I know it is hard to understand Jack...but I promise that she isn't mad at you and never could be. I don't want you to ever worry about that…"

"Are you mad at me?" He asked with tears in his eyes, "You told me never to go with a stranger and I did…but I thought since he was Rory's Daddy…"

Luke sighed and leaned forward to give Jack's shoulder a squeeze, "We aren't mad buddy. But...you should never go with someone without asking us first. You know that now, right? Even if they tell you that Mommy and I said it's okay...you ask us first. And if you are unsure...or you are scared...you yell and scream until someone notices you okay?"

Jack nodded, "Okay...I'm sorry I scared you…"

Luke kissed his son's head, "You're safe now...that's all that matters."

Lorelai sniffled and smiled at her son and husband, "Come on...let's get ready to go home."

Luke scooped Jack off his lap and brought him into the bathroom to help him get ready. Lorelai took a few minutes to compose herself and then walked out to the hallway where there were two officers standing by.

She smiled softly at them, "Hey...are we allowed to go home today?"

The first officer nodded, "Yes. They have Christopher in custody and are already on their way back to Connecticut. We will be bringing you home whenever you are ready. I suggest you call your family and let them know we will be on our way...and to let them know that Jack may feel a little overwhelmed at first. It's probably not good for all of them to run to him...even though I know they want too."

Lorelai nodded slowly, "I didn't even think about that...you're right. He does seem a little overwhelmed…" She ran a hand through her hair, "I'll call them now. We just need to change...and maybe grab something to eat? Then can we go?"

"You let us know when you are ready." He said with a smile.

She stared at both of the officers for a moment and felt the tears burn in her eyes again, "I just…" She swallowed hard, "Thank you...for helping bring my son home. I will never be able to thank you enough for that."

The second officer smiled, "We are just doing our job Mrs. Danes."

She nodded slowly, "Well I appreciate you. Thank you…" They both smiled at her and then she walked back into the room and reached for her phone.

It rang only once before an anxious Rory answered, _"Mom? Are you guys coming home?"_

Lorelai sat down on the edge of the bed, "Hey sweets...we are getting ready now. We should be on the road soon."

 _"How does Jack seem? Luke said Dad didn't hurt him…"_ Rory whispered.

"He's okay...a little confused and overwhelmed. That's actually why I am calling...I know you are all going to want to rush out and see him right away. But I think we need to let Jack do this on his terms. He may be flustered if everyone rushes to him at the same time, you know what I mean?" Lorelai asked.

 _"I understand."_ Rory whispered, _"It's going to be hard to not scoop him up right away...but we want him to be okay first and foremost."_

"Thanks hon." She sniffled slightly, "He's...he's worried you will be upset that Christopher will have to go to jail again. Luke and I told him you only cared about him coming home...but it may take him sometime to process this all. Even though he is coming home...we still have a lot to work through."

She heard Lorelai sigh, _"Oh Jack...of course I don't blame him. I feel terrible."_

"We're going to be okay." Lorelai whispered to her, "Somehow we will make it through this. I promise Rory…"

 _"I know."_ Rory answered back, _"Have you seen...Dad?"_

"Only glimpses from behind...I don't know how I will react when I really do see him." Lorelai said honestly.

 _"How's Luke?"_ Rory asked, _"How did he react?"_

Lorelai cringed, "He...made his anger known. But...he was able to pull it together. It's going to be hard for all of us kid…" The bathroom door opened and Jack and Luke came out dressed and ready to leave, "I need to finish getting ready though. Jack's eager to come home. I'll call you when we are close…"

 _"We'll be here. Love you Mom."_ Rory whispered into the phone.

"I love you too kid. See you soon." She shut the phone, and smiled at Jack, "All set little man?"

Jack nodded and climbed up on the bed, "Uh huh."

Lorelai smiled and leaned forward to kiss his head gently, "Let me get dressed and then we can go, okay? Are you hungry?"

"Yes." Jack said, "Can we get Egg McMuffins?"

Lorelai laughed and looked at her husband, "What do you say Dad?"

Luke sighed, "Normally I'd say no…" He knelt down in front of his kid, "But I think today I can make an exception. You can have whatever you want buddy."

Jack's face brightened and he looked at his Mom, "Should I go for more than an Egg McMuffin?"

Lorelai laughed and shook her head, "That's up to you bud. I'll let you think on it while I get ready."

Jack rubbed his hands together, "The possibilities…"

Luke groaned, "What have I gotten myself into?"

Lorelai smiled and went into the bathroom to change and get ready to head home.

* * *

Three hours later, Lorelai had made the call to her family at the house. Lorelai and Luke were sitting in the back of the cruiser with Jack who anxiously clutched Oscar in his arms. Lorelai smiled and gave him a gentle kiss on his head.

"You okay buddy?" Lorelai asked as she gave him a squeeze.

Jack nodded slowly, "I'm a little scared…"

"Of what?" Luke asked reaching for his small hands, "You can talk to us about this…"

Jack looked back at his Dad, "I'm happy to be going home...but scared something will happen again."

Luke frowned and squeezed his hand, "I know Jack...but Mommy and I are going to be right with you, okay?"

Jack nodded and looked out the window as they passed the park that Chris had taken him from, "Did you find my hat? He threw it on the ground before we left…"

Lorelai swallowed hard remember how hard it had been to see his tiny hat when he was gone, "Yeah buddy...it's at home."

Jack looked at his Dad and frowned, "He doesn't like you very much...he got angry when I talked about you."

Luke cleared his throat, "Well...I don't like him very much either Jack."

As they pulled down the street leading to their house, Jack started to bounce up and down a little. Lorelai smiled and looked over at Luke who gave her a wink as they pulled into the driveway. Lorelai climbed out of the car and Jack jumped out and reached up to her. She smiled, picked him up in her arms and held him close as they walked towards the front door. Luke walked behind them and pressed a gentle, encouraging hand on Lorelai's back.

Lorelai pushed the door opened and Jack tensed a little, she kissed the side of his head and whispered, "It's okay buddy...you're home now."

She walked further into the house and smiled when she saw all the people waiting in the living room. They were smiling, but sat as patient as possible to let Jack become accustomed to his surroundings again. Jack peeked at them from his Mother's arms and smiled, "Hi…" He whispered.

Rory took a deep breath and stood up to walk towards them, "Hey Jack…"

Jack pulled away from his Mom a little and smiled at his sister, "Hi Rory…"

She lifted a hand to wipe at her own tears and tried to keep it together for him, "We're really glad you're home little man…"

Jack looked at his Mom who gave him a kiss on his nose to remind him she was right there with him, "Rory...I'm sorry."

Rory shook her head as the tears started to pool in her eyes again, "Jack no...don't you apologize. Come here…" Jack reached out and Lorelai placed him in Rory's arms, "The only thing that matters to me is that you are safe...and that you are home. Don't you worry about anything else."

Jack nodded and hugged her back. April nervously walked towards them unable to keep from hugging him, she had Elise in her arms and looked over at Luke who just gave her an encouraging smile. He took Elise from her arms and April quickly wrapped her arms around Rory and Jack and started to cry with Rory.

Lorelai swallowed the lump in her throat and leaned against Luke who rocked Elise back and forth. "Jack Jack?"

Luke smiled and kissed Elise's head, "Yeah baby...your brother is home."

Jack turned in Rory's arms and smiled at Elise, "Hi Lise."

Lorelai wiped at her tears and glanced back at her daughter, "Hi pretty girl…"

Elise reached for Lorelai who quickly scooped her up, "Mommy…"

Lorelai let out a small breath and held her close as Luke put his hands on her hips and held her against his chest, "Everyone's home now baby...we're all okay."

Jack frowned and looked around, he saw his Grandparents, Jess, Liz, TJ and Doula. But he didn't see Paul Anka anywhere, "Where's Paul Anka?"

Rory smiled, "He's been staying up in your room. I think he's waiting for you…"

"Can I go see him?" Jack asked as he looked at his Dad.

Luke smiled and took Jack from his arms, "Sure bud. Come on."

"Come on Mommy." Jack said excitedly as Luke walked towards the stairs.

Lorelai smiled and handed Elise back to Rory so she could follow her husband and son up the stairs. They walked quietly down the hallway and heard the chatter from the living room. Luke pushed the door to Jack's room open and there was Paul Anka sitting patiently by Jack's bed just as he always had done to watch after him.

"Paul Anka!" Jack yelled excitedly and practically jumped from his father's arms.

When he hit the floor, Paul Anka started barking and ran towards the boy. Jack was laughing loudly as the dog ran around him in circles yipping loudly until he tackled Jack to the ground and smothered him with kisses. Lorelai put a hand over her mouth as the tears sprung in her eyes, but there was also a smile plastered on her face. Luke pulled her against him and smiled at the scene in front of him. It was the first truly happy moment they had had in what felt like forever.

Jack giggled as the dog continued to leave wet slobbery kisses on his little face, "Paul Anka!"

Luke kissed the side of Lorelai's face and whispered to her, "He's home…"

She closed her eyes and pressed a hand on Luke's chest to keep her standing up, "He's home…" She repeated softly.

She breathed him in and reminded herself that no matter what happened next, they would make it through. The hardest part was over, now their son was safe. And they would figure out how to navigate through the rest of the storm together.

* * *

Later that night, Jack was sitting in the living room eating pizza with Jess, April, Rory and Elise. Richard and Emily were standing in the kitchen with Lorelai and Luke, their lawyers and the lead detectives.

"What happens now?" Lorelai asked as she watched Jack carefully from her spot in the kitchen.

The Detective sighed, "Well...we have Mr. Hayden in custody which is important. We will put together the case over the next week or so. We have plenty of evidence…"

Lorelai nodded, "Will Jack have to see him again?"

"Well we can have him testify in court...but if you aren't comfortable with that than we can discuss other options." He said.

Lorelai glanced at her husband, "I don't know…"

Luke rubbed the back of his neck nervously, "I don't want Jack to have to see him…" He swallowed hard, "Um...I have a question though."

"Sure. What is it?" The Detective asked.

Luke cleared his throat and looked down at his battered hands, "Am...am i going to be charged with assault?"

Lorelai tensed beside him and grabbed onto his arm, he gave her a small smile then turned back to the Detective, "Mr. Hayden said he would not press charges…"

Luke let out a shaky breath, "But...could he change that answer?"

Richard huffed, "He better not. He has no right to complain about what you did. In my opinion you showed restraint. That man deserves much worse for what he has done."

Luke grimaced, "It was still wrong of me...I broke the law."

Lorelai leaned into him and looped her arm through his, "Luke…"

Luke sighed and looked back at the Detectives, "I really tried to keep it together...but when I saw him run I just reacted. I couldn't stand the idea of him getting away…"

"I understand that Mr. Danes. As of right now Mr. Hayden says he has no plans to press charges and we will have to hope that nothing changes that." He said with a shrug, "I wish I could give you a more reassuring answer…"

Luke tried to smile, "No I understand…"

"The next couple of days are going to be focussed on gathering all our evidence to present to the court. I suggest you focus on your family first and foremost...try not to dwell too much on anything else. Your son needs to feel as comfortable as possible right now." He said.

Luke nodded slowly, "Right…"

Richard smiled, "Luke...we will make sure everything is handled accordingly. I am not about to let anyone take you away from my daughter or my grandchildren."

Luke swallowed hard, "Richard…"

The older man smiled back at him, "Go be with your family Luke. It's late...Emily and I will head home and come back tomorrow. Right now...you focus on them. The rest will fall into place in time."

Luke took a deep breath and nodded slowly, "Okay…" He turned to his wife, "I'm gonna go check on the kids…"

Lorelai smiled, "I'm going to walk my parents out. Meet you in there in a second." She leaned forward and gave him a gentle kiss.

He gave her hand a squeeze and then excused himself to the living room. Lorelai took a few cleansing breaths, and then turned back to her parents. They smiled encouragingly, gathered their things and followed the Detectives and lawyers out the front door.

As they reached their car, one of the lawyers gave Richard a look. Lorelai noticed it and braced herself for whatever they were about to tell her. She put her hands in her pockets and waited for them to speak.

"Now that Luke is inside…" Richard said softly, "There's something you should see."

Lorelai bit her lip nervously, "What is it?"

Richard reached into his coat pocket, "This is a copy of a letter they found at the house. I haven't read it...it was addressed to you."

Lorelai lifted a trembling hand and took the letter from him, "Did the Detectives read it?"

Her lawyer nodded, "Yes. And so have I…"

Lorelai bit her lip nervously, "Okay…"

Emily leaned forward and put her hands on her daughter's shoulders. "Whatever that letter says...don't let it break you Lorelai. Christopher made terrible choices. Jack is home now and that is all that matters."

She nodded slowly, "Thanks Mom…" She leaned forward and gave her a gentle hug, "Thank you for everything. We'll see you tomorrow."

"Try and get some sleep." Emily said as she pulled away, "You're going to need your strength."

Lorelai gave her a slight smile, gave her father a hug and then waited until they all left. She took a moment to gather her thoughts before walking back to the porch and sitting down on the front steps. Her hands were trembling as she held the paper in front of her, it took her a few minutes to find the courage to actually begin to read it.

 _Lore,  
I'm not sure if you will ever read this...but if you do it probably means that I'm gone. At least I hope it does. I have spent the last six years trying to move past what I did to you...what I did to land me in jail. And when I found out I was going to be released...I thought I had come to terms with everything. I thought I was ready to move on. I meant it when I told Rory I wanted to start over...that I was going to stay away.  
But then I got home...and everything was so different. I didn't know how to start over. And suddenly rage built up in me again thinking about the fact that you now have this amazing life with HIM. And the next thing I knew...I was driving to Stars Hollow. I had no intention of taking Jack...I just wanted to see you. I wanted to see what it was that he gave you that you didn't think I could. I wanted to know why he was so much better than me.  
And then I saw your father...and I panicked. Next thing I know...I see this little kid who is an exact replica of his father and something in me snapped. I didn't even realize what I was doing. And then we were driving away and I just couldn't turn back. I wish Jack had been an annoying kid...probably would have made it easier. But he was polite and kind and it made me all messed up.  
I know what I did was wrong. And I can't imagine how scared you were when you found out I took him. I didn't hurt him physically...I would never do that. But some part of me wanted you to feel the pain I had felt in the last 6 years. It was wrong and I know that and I can't apologize enough for it.  
But the thing is...I can't go back to jail. I just can't handle it. Maybe that makes me a coward...but it's how I feel. And so I have made a decision. I can't bring Jack back because it will make things worse for me. I hope that someone finds him soon because tonight I am planning on taking my life. I'm sorry...I hope that Jack is okay. But I can't handle any of this anymore._

Goodbye Lorelai,  
Chrisotpher

Anger and pain bubbled up in Lorelai's chest. She felt like someone had sucker punched her. She was crying so hard, she didn't notice that the front door had opened. She was startled when Luke sat down beside her and put his arms around her.

"Lorelai...hey…" He whispered as he pulled her against him to try and soothe her, "Shhh…"

She reached to the side and clung to his shirt, "That bastard was going to take his own life and leave our son there to rot…" She choked out between sobs.

Luke pulled her away to look at her, "What?"

She lifted her trembling hands and held out the letter, "They found this at the house. It was a letter he wrote to me. He was going to kill himself...and then just hoped someone would have found Jack. But what if we hadn't? What if Gigi didn't know where the house was? God Luke...Jack would have died there all alone! And even if he didn't...he would have seen Christopher and…" She broke off as the sobs took over her body again.

Luke tensed and took the letter as he held her tight to his side. His eyes skimmed every letter on the page and he felt sick to his stomach. "Jesus…"

"I just...I don't understand." Lorelai said softly, "How can someone be that selfish? How can someone be that much of a coward?"

Luke rested his elbow on his knee and looked over at her, "I don't know…"  
"Now all I can picture is Jack stuck in that room...hungry and alone...can you imagine that? What if he had died there like that Luke?" She shook her head, "My little boy…"

Luke shook his head, "He's safe now…"

She nodded slowly, "I know...but if we hadn't made it there in time…"

Luke swallowed hard and crumpled up the letter in his hands, "Suddenly I don't feel so much guilt over hitting that idiot…"

Lorelai sniffled and took his battered hands in his, "He's a coward…"

Luke nodded, "As much as I want him dead...I'd rather have him face this. It would be to easy...I don't want him to get what he wants. I want him to suffer."

"None of this even seems real...it doesn't seem like it could ever happen. And yet it did...and I don't know how to fix it for Jack. I don't know how to make him feel safe. I don't know how to make myself feel safe. I want to keep him locked in our house forever where I never have to take my eyes off of him but I know we can't do that either." She shook her head sadly.

Luke looked over at her, "Lorelai…"

"I'm just so angry...and scared. And god I'm so heartbroken for our boy. I still feel like we're moving in quick sand...like this is all just some terrible nightmare. But it's reality." She said as she ran her hands through her hair, "And I know I shouldn't feel guilty...but I do Luke. God I do...I feel so responsible for all of this."

Luke sighed and reached for her again, "Lorelai you can't…"

"But I do." She said as she held onto him, "I do Luke...and I don't know how to not feel that way. My actions lead us here…"

"Well I played a part in it too." Luke said sadly, "But no one could have predicted any of this…"

She nodded slowly and pulled away, "I'm so tired…"

He rubbed his eyes slowly, "Me too...I spent most of last night just watching you and Jack to make sure you were really there."

She turned her head to look him in the eye, "Luke…"

He shook his head, "I feel like I failed you...not just in making sure Christopher didn't hurt any of us. But because...I stooped down to his level."

"What are you talking about?" She whispered as she reached up to cup his face in her hands, "You are nothing like him…"

She watched him swallow the lump in his throat, "I hit him." She opened her mouth to protest, "I almost took his life. And yeah maybe he deserved it...but that's what he did to you Lorelai. He put his hands on you...he was violent and I feel all this rage and it scares me."

She sighed and leaned into kiss him gently, "Luke...I know you would never do that to me. You don't have a malicious bone in your body. You were reacting to someone hurting your family. That kind of anger is normal and expected...I'm not angry with you."

"I promised you I wouldn't do anything stupid." He said with tears in his eyes, "I promised I would stay away and I broke that promise. I swore when we got back together I'd never hurt you or lie to you again…"

"Luke this is so different…" She whispered, "You were protecting us...what if Christopher had gotten away? Where would we be now? Sure we would have had Jack...but I'd be looking over my shoulder at every turn expecting him to pop up. That's no way to live...you did what you had to do. And you stopped yourself before you went too far…"

He nodded slowly and wiped at his tear strained face, "I'm sorry…"

She shook her head and kissed his cheek and then the side of his mouth, "You have nothing to apologize for…"

He quickly wrapped both of his arms around her and pulled her close, "You are my life. You know that right?"

She breathed him in and nodded against the crook of his neck, "I know…"

"I just...I want to make this all right. But like you said I don't know how too…" He whispered softly, "And that scares me…"

She nodded slowly as she pulled away, "We're going to have to do this together...for Jack."

He leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers, "For Jack…"

"Don't leave me, okay?" She whispered in a soft voice, "That's the only thing I can't handle...I don't want you to pull away. Or be afraid of how you are feeling. I need you to talk to me…"

He nodded slowly and brushed away her tears, "I will…"

She took a deep breath, "The next couple of days...we should just focus on getting everything settled here like they said. We have the trial and all that to worry about later...but right now we need to take care of the kids. And ourselves…"

He nodded, "I already called Caesar...he knows I won't be coming back to work anytime soon."

She nodded slowly, "I talked to Michel and Sookie too...I can't even think about going back to work at the moment."

Luke took a deep breath and ran a hand over his tired face, "God I'm exhausted…"

She stood up slowly and reached for his hands to pull him up, "Come on…"

Luke let her pull him up and then he pulled her against him and buried his hands in her hair as she wrapped her arms around his waist. He held her close for a moment before pulling away just enough to kiss her gently on the lips and whisper, "I love you Lorelai…"

Her eyes fluttered for a moment and then she whispered back, "I love you too. Always will…"

He kissed her again, and then reached for her hand as they walked up the porch steps. When they walked into the house they noticed the living room was empty but the light in the hall upstairs was on. Quietly, they walked up the stairs and back towards Jack's room. When they opened the door, Lorelai could only smile at the scene in front of her.

Jack and Elise were snuggled up together on his bed and Rory was asleep beside them with a protective arm around them both. On the floor, Jess was leaning against the bed, his head was pressed back into the mattress as he snored softly. Beside him, April had her head resting on his shoulder as she too slept soundly.

Luke put an arm around Lorelai's shoulder, "Should we wake them up?" He whispered.

Lorelai shook her head, "No...they are all probably just as tired as we are."

Luke nodded and looked back at her, "Come with me…"

She gave him a questioning look as he lead her back towards their bedroom. He turned on one light to cast a soft glow across the room. She kicked off her shoes, and then crawled up onto the bed and sat patiently for him. She watched as he went to his closet, and dug through a box before coming back to the bed with a long black velvet box in his hands.

She gave him a curious look, "What is that?"

Luke sighed and sat down beside her as he toed off his own shoes, "I realized I never got to give you your anniversary present…"

She bit her lip, "God...that night seems so far way…"

He nodded and rubbed at her knee, "I know...I hope that what happened doesn't ruin that day for us."

She shook her head, "We won't let it…"

He nodded slowly and held the box out to her, "Here...open it."

Lorelai smiled gently at him and then lifted the lid on the box, she gasped when she saw what was inside, "Oh Luke...it's beautiful."

He smiled sheepishly and pointed to the tree pendent, "It has the four birthstones of our kids. Rory, April, Jack and Elise…"

She put a hand over her mouth as the tears prickled, "Luke…"

"You may not be April's biological Mother...and I may not really be Rory's father...but they are still OUR children. Just as much as Jack and Elise. They are our family...our blood. Our reason…" He whispered as he got choked up, "And when I see you with them...it makes me fall in love with you more and more. You are such an amazing mother...and I feel so damn lucky to be able to share this life with you."

She felt her heart pounding in her chest, "You are the most amazing man I have ever known. Did you know that?" She wiped at her tears, "Even when I feel like I'm at my lowest point...you pull me back to reality. You are everything Luke. You gave me this family...and I love you for that. I will always love you for it. Nothing can change what we have. Not even Christopher…"

He shook his head and leaned forward to kiss her, "You're right…"

She reached a hand up to touch his face, "Now my box seats to the Red Sox with the whole family seems silly compared to this beautiful necklace…"

He smiled at her, "Lorelai...that's an amazing gift."

She rolled her eyes and wiped a tear away, "Not like this…" She glanced back down at it, "It's perfect…"

"You're perfect…" He whispered softly making her look up at him again, he swallowed hard, "Lorelai…"

She bit her lip and nodded slowly, "I know…"

He sighed softly, "I know everything is crazy right now...and maybe this is the last thing you want. And I understand if you don't want too…"

He looked down nervously and she lifted his face to make him face her again, "Luke…"

"I just…" He swallowed hard, "I need you…"

His voice was so full of raw emotion it tore through her from head to toe. She whimpered softly and placed the box down on the bedside table before she reached for him and pulled him as close as possible. Her lips crashed against his and he leaned her back on the bed as she started to pull at the buttons on his shirt.

He pulled away to try and catch his breath, "Are you sure this is okay? It's okay if…"

She shook her head and reached up to pull his face down to hers again kissing him softly, "I need you too Luke...more than you could possibly understand. Love me...make me feel anything other than this pain…"

He sighed softly and leaned into her, "God Lorelai…"

"It's okay…" She whispered as her hands slid up the back of his undershirt, "I'm right here…" She felt him trembling against her, "I'm right here…"

She felt him relax against her as they rolled to their sides on the bed. Clothes were shed as fast as possible and soon they were wrapped around each other. They couldn't get close enough...they wanted to become one. They wanted the rest of the world to melt away and find a way to some sort of peace. And as they lay together afterwards and whispered words of love and assurance...they knew one thing was for sure...they weren't going to let Christopher Hayden break them apart ever again.

* * *

 **I will try and update soon! I wrote a one-shot for Mother's Day called "If You Ever Want To Fall In Love" but it seems people want me to add onto it! So I may work on that at some point too. But this will come first. Check it out and let me know what you think :) It's set pre-series. Working on Chapter 12 of this as we speak so hopefully it will be up soon!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Once again thanks for the support and feedback :) Here is the next chapter and I will try and update as soon as possible. Thanks!**

* * *

The following morning, Lorelai woke up in bed still wrapped up with her husband. She took a deep breath and reached up to trace the lines on his face. She smiled and pushed herself up to kiss him gently.

He stirred slowly and then opened his eyes, "Good morning…"

She bit her lip and smiled down at him, "Good morning…"

Luke rubbed his eyes slowly and glanced over at the clock, "It's early…"

Lorelai nodded, "I know…" She rolled over on her back and then looked out the window at the lake, "Think the kids are awake?"

Luke sat up slowly and sighed, "Not sure...I wonder if they all slept in Jack's room all night." He glanced down at their still naked bodies, "As much as I love laying like this with you...we should probably get dressed in case someone comes in."

Lorelai smiled and pulled herself up off the bed, "You're probably right…"

Luke watched her for a moment as she sat stone still in bed staring down at her hands in her lap, "How are you feeling this morning?"

She turned back towards him and smiled softly, "Same as yesterday...you?"

He nodded and reached out to give her hand a squeeze, "Same here."

She took a deep breath, let go of his hand and crawled out of bed. He watched her as she rummaged through the drawers to find some comfortable clothes to wear. She smiled at him as she walked over to the nightstand and lifted the necklace he had given her last night. She held it out to him and he smiled as he turned her back to him and held her hair away from her neck. He placed the necklace around her neck and clasped it before giving her a gentle kiss on her back.

"Love you…" He whispered softly.

She placed her hand over the pendant and smiled, "Love you too…" She turned slowly and gave him a quick peck, "Get dressed handsome…"

He gave her a wink before getting out of bed to slip on his own clothes. THey walked out of the bedroom together and down to the kitchen where they found Jess, Rory, April and Elise already sitting at the table.

"Where's Jack?" Lorelai asked with a quick yet nervous whisper.

"He's still asleep…" Jess said as he wiped his mouth with a napkin, "He seemed exhausted. We figured we'd let him sleep in."

Lorelai felt her body relax as she reached down to give Elise a kiss, "That's probably a good idea…" She ran her hands through Elise's curly locks and smiled, "Did you guys sleep in Jack's room all night?"

"I did." Rory said as she took a sip of her coffee, "Jess brought Elise into her room later and he and April slept in our room. I didn't want to leave him…"

"Did he sleep through the night?" Luke asked as he poured himself a glass of juice.

Rory nodded, "Yeah. He slept better than I did…"

"How did you sleep?" April asked, "You guys must be totally drained…"

Lorelai smiled at her step-daughter, "Woke up a few times...but I still slept better than I have in the last week or so. Feels good to be home…"

"Grandma's already called twice." Rory said with a smile, "She just wanted to check in...she said they'll be here around lunch time."

Lorelai smiled, "Sounds good."

She opened her mouth to speak again but was cut off by a scream from upstairs, "Mommy! Mommy where are you!"

Lorelai stood up quickly and felt her feet flying across the kitchen floor. Luke was hot on her heels as they bolted up the stairs towards Jack's room.

"Mommy!" The little boy screamed again, louder this time, "Daddy!"

Lorelai burst through the door, "Jack!"

He was sitting up on the bed crying as he held Oscar close, "Mommy…"

She ran to the bed and quickly pulled Jack onto her lap and held him close, "It's okay baby...I'm right here. You're safe now...you're home…"

Jack was crying as he clung to his Mother and he reached out a hand to Luke who pulled them both close to him. "You're okay Jack…"

Jack sniffled against Lorelai's shoulder, "I had a bad dream...he was hurting you again Mommy. And Rory and Elise too…"

Lorelai squeezed him tighter, "Oh honey...it's okay. He can't hurt you or anyone else again."

"But he got out before." Jack said as he pulled away, "And he took me away from home and I didn't like it. And I don't want him to take Elise or you or Rory or-"

"Shhh…" Lorelai whispered as she brushed the tears away from his face, "Shh...that's not going to happen Jack."

"But how do you know?" Jack asked sadly, "How do you know for sure?"

Lorelai glanced back at her husband with a pained expression. Luke swallowed hard and tried to think of something to say that would help his son. "Jack...I know things are really confusing right now. But...Mommy and I are going to help you through this. Okay? It's okay to be scared...and you can tell us when you need some assurance. We're not going anywhere buddy…"

Jack pouted and rested his head against Lorelai's shoulder again, "Why did he have to be so mean? I don't like mean people…"

Lorelai sighed and rubbed his back, "I know buddy...but there are always going to be mean people in life. I wish I could tell you there wasn't...but sometimes people do bad things."

"Do you have to go to work today?" Jack whispered nervously, "I don't want you to go…"

Lorelai shook his head, "No honey...Daddy and I aren't going back to work anytime soon. We are going to be right here with you. I promise…"

Jack snuggled into her and she began to rock him back and forth, "Don't let him take me away again Mommy…"

She pressed a kiss to his head, "Never baby...never…"

Luke held them close as she tried to soothe her son into feeling better.

* * *

The following day, Lorelai and Luke brought Jack to a counselor suggested by the court. It took a few minutes, but Jack finally agreed to talk to the counselor as long as Luke and Lorelai could sit in the room with him. They were sitting on a couch behind Jack as he sat on the floor around a small table and colored a picture with the counselor.

"Okay Jack...my name is Caitlin. And I just want to talk to you about a few things...you don't have to answer anything you don't want too, okay?" She asked softly.

Jack nodded slowly, "Okay…" He looked back at his parents who gave him an encouraging smile.

"Okay...so I want to talk to you a little bit about what happened. About…" She started to speak but Jack cut her off.

"You want to know about him?" Jack asked as he continued to color on the paper in front of him.

Caitlin nodded, "Yes...is it okay if we talk about that? Maybe we can start with the day you met him at the park?"

Jack sighed, "I was there with Grandma and Grandpa...and he came over and I recognized him from the picture that Rory showed me. So...I thought it would be okay to talk to him. He seemed nice...and he said that we would go see Rory and surprise her."

"And you thought that going to see Rory would make her happy?" She asked, "You wanted her to see her Dad, right?"

Jack nodded, "Uh uh. So I went with him...he said he already asked my Mommy and Daddy and they said it was okay. He took me to his car...and when we started to drive away he seemed to be different…"

"Different how?" She asked as she watched him carefully.

Jack shrugged, "He was talking to himself a lot...saying weird things. We parked at different places and he was always looking around like he thought someone was going to show up. But no one did...we stopped and got some food. And then after a few days driving around be brought me to that house…"

"And when you got to the house...how did he seem?" Caitlin asked.

"He seemed nervous. But he tried to be nice...when I asked him where Rory was he just said she'd be there soon. He would get mad when I talked about going home...or especially when I brought up my Dad." Jack said as he picked a new crayon.

Caitlin lanced back at Luke and Lorelai who were sitting close on the couch. Lorelai grabbed Luke's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze as they listened to their son talk about his time away from them.

"What did he do when he was angry Jack? Did he hurt you?" She asked softly.

Jack shook his head, "He yelled a couple of times...and he broke a plate once. But he never hit me or anything…"

Even though Lorelai knew he hadn't hit him, she still breathed a sigh of relief at his words. "So...you had food there Jack. Did you go with him to the store?"

Jack stopped what he was doing and shook his head, "No...he made stay there alone. He locked me in that room when he left…I didn't like that. I was scared...one time he was gone for a long time and I was afraid he wasn't going to come back. I didn't like him...but I didn't know if anyone would ever find me if I was stuck in there. And that was scary…"

Lorelai whimpered softly and Luke put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to try and comfort her. They sat patiently behind their son and tried their best to not reach out for him to help soothe him. They knew it was important for him to talk as openly as possible right now.

"What did you do when you were in there alone?" Caitlin asked, "Did you have any toys?"

Jack shook his head, "No...there were books but for big people. So I couldn't read them...mostly I just sat on the bed and looked out the window to see if anyone would come get me."

"Did you ever try and run away?" Caitlin asked softly, "Or escape somehow?"

Jack shrugged, "One time I was really angry...he said he wouldn't take me home. And I ran towards the door to leave but he grabbed him and I kept kicking him and telling him to take me home but he didn't listen. He didn't like that I kicked him...he I must have learned it from my Mom and that I was stubborn like her." Jack bit his lip nervously and stopped drawing, "He…"

"He what Jack?" Caitlin asked encouragingly, "It's alright...you're in a safe place."

Jack shifted in his seat, "He asked me a lot of questions about Mommy and Daddy...he asked if they were happy. He wanted to know about our family...and that seemed to make him sad. He told me that he loved my Mommy...or that he did a long time ago. I asked why they weren't married if he loved her...but he didn't tell me why. He asked me if I knew what jail was…"

"What else did he say about it?" Caitlin asked.

Jack shrugged, "He said he did something bad...and so he had to go there and that's why he was never around. And I got scared...and he could tell I was scared. So he told me he wouldn't hurt me...but I asked him why he took me. He said he was sorry for it...and that he didn't mean to hurt me or Mommy again. So I asked again if he would take me home...but he just said I'd go home...but he wouldn't take me."

"Do you know what he meant by that?" She asked him.

Jack shook his head, "Not really...he said that he was like Lex Luther and Mommy and Daddy were Superman and Wonder Woman. He said they'd find me…" He paused, "But I asked if that meant he would go to jail again...and he said sometimes the bad guy gets away."

Lorelai glanced at Luke who only sighed and gave her hand a squeeze. They were both wondering if he planned on running away then or if he was referring to his plan to take his own life and leave Jack behind. Either way, they both knew he was a coward.

"That made me nervous…" Jack whispered, "I didn't understand what it meant...but I wanted to look brave like Daddy. So I told him that Daddy wouldn't let him get away...and he said I was probably right. And after that I went to my room because I didn't want to be near him. That was before he went to the store...and then Mommy and Daddy did find me."

Caitlin smiled, "You must have been really happy when you saw them…"

Jack nodded, "I was. But before I knew it was them...I got scared...cuz I had fallen asleep. And then i heard lots of noises and yelling...so I hid behind the bed. I knew I couldn't get out of the room...but then I heard Mommy's voice...and I knew I was safe."

Caitlin smiled again, "And so that's when Mommy and Daddy found you...and they brought you home. How do you feel now Jack? Are you scared?"

Jack stopped coloring and looked back at her, "Yes…"

"Can you tell me what you are most scared of?" She asked gently.

Jack shrugged, "I'm afraid he'll take me away again. Or that he'll hurt Mommy or someone else in my family...and I don't want that."

"I can understand that." She said softly, "But your Mommy and Daddy told you he was with the police now...right? He can't get to you anymore."

Jack nodded, "Yeah...but he got away before didn't he? And...he's not the only mean person in the world right? What if someone else tries to take me away again? I don't want to go away...I want to stay with my family…"

Caitlin looked down at the picture he had drawn, "Is that what your picture is of? You and your family?"

Jack nodded, "Uh huh…" He pointed to the first stick figure, "That's Daddy with his hat on...and Mommy with her curly hair. She has Elise in her hands….and that's ROry and April. And that's me…"

Caitlin smiled at him, "You love your family very much, don't you Jack?"

He nodded, "Yeah...doesn't everyone love their family?"

She smiled at him, "Jack...can you tell me what would make you really happy?"

Jack shrugged, "I'd be happy if he went away...and never hurt us again."

"When you say he...do you mean Christopher?" She asked slightly, "I noticed you don't like to say his name."

Jack frowned, "Yeah...I mean Christopher. I don't like him...so I don't like to say his name. Do I have too?"

She shook her head, "No. Of course not."

Jack sighed and looked back at his parents before standing up and crawling up onto Luke's lap, "Do I have to see him again?"

"Not if you don't want too…" Caitlin said softly, "Jack do you know what a trial is?"

Jack shook his head, "No...not really."

"Well a trial is something that happens when someone has broken the law...and the police and lawyers come together to talk about what the person did...and how they should be punished for their behavior. Does that make sense?" She asked.

Jack frowned, "So...you mean he will have to go to a trial?"

She nodded slowly, "Yes Jack. Christopher will have to go to a trial and they will talk about what happened when he took you away."

"Do I have to go?" Jack asked as he looked back at his father.

Luke sighed, "Well...sometimes they ask people like you to go and talk about it...but you don't have too if you don't want too. Mommy and I will never make you do that."

Jack frowned again, "But...if I don't go will he not get in trouble for what he did?"

"No...he will still get in trouble." Caitlin said, "What he did was very wrong Jack...but if you don't' want to see him then you do not have to go."

Jack was quiet for a moment before he turned to his Mother, "Did he have a trial when he hurt you?"

Lorelai nodded slowly and took his small hand in hers, "Yes he did…"

"And did you go?" Jack asked curiously.

Lorelai smiled sadly, "I did buddy...but that doesn't mean you have to go."

Jack swung his legs back and forth from his spot on his Dad's lap, "Do I have to say yes or no right now?"

"No. You can think about it some more." Caitlin said, "But whatever you decide is okay Jack…"

Jack turned in Luke's arms and hugged him tightly, "I don't know…"

Luke rubbed his back gently, "It's okay bud...we can think about it, okay? No need to decide now. Everything is alright…"

Jack sighed and rested his head in the crook of Luke's neck, "Can we go home now?"

Luke looked back at Caitlin who gave him a slight nod, "Sure little man...why don't you go out front with Rory and Elise for a minute while Mommy and I talk to Caitlin?"

Jack frowned, "For long?"

Luke shook his head, "No. We won't be long." He ruffled his hair, "Hey...what do you say we stop at the Diner on the way home and I make you something special?"

Jack smiled, "Okay…" He hopped down from Luke's lap and walked over to the assistant who walked Jack out to Rory in the waiting room.

Luke sighed and turned towards Caitlin, "God I hate this…"

She smiled tenderly at him, "I know. It's going to be hard...and Jack will have a lot of questions. But he seems very strong...I was impressed he was able to tell me all of that the first time we met. It is totally normal for him to be afraid still...he's confused about what happened. And because he went willingly...he probably is questioning a lot of his choices at the moment. That will play a factor into whether or not he decides to testify during the trial."

Lorelai frowned, "He's so little...I don't like the idea of him going there. I was terrified when I had to do it and I'm an adult."

"We can talk about possibly doing an interview with him via recording which would be played during the trial. That way...the court can hear what Jack has to say but Jack doesn't actually have to be present." She said softly.

"That would probably be better." Luke whispered, "He can't even really say his name...I don't want to push him to hard."

"I know that right now you both want to make everything better for him. And all I can tell you is that you are doing a great job. It is obvious that you love and care for Jack and you would do anything to protect him. It won't be easy...and it will most likely be a day to day challenge. But it will get better with time…" She said.

Lorelai nodded slowly, "He was supposed to start school recently...and now I don't know what to do. He hasn't mentioned it...and quite honestly I don't know if I can bare to let him go off on his own as it is. But would keeping him back another year be to hard? He'd be so much older?"

"Well I'd be happy to meet with the counselors at Jack's school and the administrators. It is something we could discuss...or see if there was a way to have Jack do work at home for the time being." She said, "We don't need to make any big decisions right away…"

Lorelai sighed, "I know...I just wish everything could go back to normal for him."

"And in time it will…" Caitlin said with a smile.

"I can't reconcile the fact that Christopher was willing to take his own life and leave Jack there...that's been haunting me since last night. What if Jack had seen him? Or heard something? Is that something we tell him?" Luke asked softly.

Caitlin shook her head, "No. I don't think it's something that Jack needs to know...and unfortunately wondering about all the what if's will only drive you crazier than you already are feeling. It won't do you any good…"

Luke groaned, "I can't seem to get those thoughts to leave my head…"

"One important thing to remember is...that Jack isn't the only one hurting right now. I am sure your other children have concerns as well as the two of you. I read the file on the case...and I know you had someone to talk to during the first incident with Christopher. It is probably not a bad idea for you to talk to someone again as well...you won't do Jack any good if you can't handle your own emotions about all of this." Caitlin whispered.

Lorelai nodded slowly and looked back at Luke, "I know…"

"We'll go together." Luke said giving her a smile, "We can do this…"

She grabbed his hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, "Okay…" She turned back to Caitlin, 'Thank you for everything...we'll see you again on Friday, right?"

Caitlin smiled, "Yes. But if anything comes up before then, don't hesitate to call."

"Thank you." Luke said, "You've been a great help." He put a hand on Lorelai's back and went to lead her towards the door.

They walked out to the waiting room together and smiled when they saw Jack and Elise sitting on Rory's lap as she read to them. Rory smiled up at her parents as they walked in the room and gave them both a hopeful look. Luke scooped up Jack and Lorelai held Elise in one arm and Rory's hand in her free hand.

They walked out to the cars and headed back towards town and the Diner. Rory called Jess and he and April were waiting for them outside the Diner as they pulled up.

All together they walked in and everyone gave them all a wave and a smile, respecting their much needed space. Luke walked behind the counter, talked to Caesar for a moment as Jack climbed up on Lorelai's lap.

Luke smiled at his son, "So what do you want buddy?"

Jack smiled softly, "Can I have an ice cream sundae?"

Luke looked at the clock and saw that it was just barely noon and Jack hadn't had lunch yet. But...in the grand scheme of things it didn't really matter. He had almost lost his son forever. And quite honestly...he would do just about anything to make him happy at this moment.

He leaned against the counter and moved his face until it was just inches from Jack's, "How many scoops you want?"

Lorelai smiled at him as Jack's face lit up, "Three!"

Luke nodded, "Three it is." He turned over to Elise who was practically bouncing in Rory's lap, "And you little lady?"

"Ows cream! Ows cream!" Elise said as she clapped her hands excitedly.

Luke chuckled and leaned forward to give her rosy cheeks a kiss, "Ice cream for everyone then!"

"Yay!" They all yelled together.

Luke smiled and looked over at Jess, "Wanna give me a hand?"

Jess nodded, "Sure." He gave April's shoulder a squeeze and then walked around the counter to help his Uncle.

From the end of the counter, Miss Patty walked up slowly and gave Jack a tentative smile, "Well hello Danes Family."

Jack turned and smiled at Miss Patty, he had always liked talking to her, "Hi Miss Patty!"

"What's your Dad making you for lunch?" She asked softly.

Jack smiled at her, "Daddy's letting us have ice cream for lunch!"

"Wow!" Miss Patty said excitedly, "I never thought I'd see the day that your Daddy let someone have ice cream for lunch!"

"I know! I can't believe it either!" Jack said excitedly, he turned to his Mom, "Can I go help Daddy and Jess?"

"Sure baby." She said putting him down on the ground, "Be careful."

Miss Patty waited until the boy was back in the kitchen before she turned to Lorelai, "I haven't wanted to intrude at the house...but how are you doing?"

Lorelai smiled softly, "We're...surviving." She said honestly, "Taking it one day at a time...now that he's home I can rest a little easier. But it's still hard…"

"When we heard he was back…" Patty put a hand over her heart, "Lord knows we all said a thankful prayer together. That poor boy...and you." She reached out to squeeze her hand, "I am so sorry Lorelai…"

Lorelai's eyes welled up with tears "Thank you Patty...I am so beyond grateful for everything everyone in town did. Helping us search...and now giving us the space we need. We appreciate it more than you know."

"Well you know we are all here for you. And if there is anything at all you need...you just say the words." Patty said softly, "Day or night...we're here…"

"Thank you." Lorelai said leaning in to give her a hug, "And tell everyone else we said thank you too…"

"I will dear. You take care of yourself too…" She whispered, "Jack needs you…"

Lorelai smiled as she pulled away and then turned to April and Rory who were smiling at her. "How did it go with the counselor?" April asked.

Lorelai shrugged, "Okay...Jack was strong. But...he is still confused about a lot of things. It's going to take awhile for him to be able to feel as safe as he used too."

"I think it's going to take a awhile for all of us to feel safe…" Rory said with a pout, "But I can't imagine what he must be thinking. I can't wrap my head around it all and I'm an adult...he's just a kid."

Lorelai nodded, "I know...we're trying to help him sort through it all. But I also don't want to push him...he needs to talk about it when he feels like it."

"Do you think he will testify in the trial?" April asked curiously. "Will he even understand what that is?"

Lorelai shook her head, "We talked a little bit about it at his appointment...and Jack seemed very nervous. I would never make him do it if he didn't want too. His counselor suggested asking if we could take his testimony instead which might work better…"

"I don't really want him to be in the same room as Dad…" Rory said softly, "I barely want to be in the same room as him…"

Lorelai sighed, "I know...I keep thinking about going to see him. But I don't know if I should…"

"I don't know if Luke would even allow it at this point…" Rory said with raised eyebrows, "He'd probably have a heart attack…"

"And Dad obviously can't go with you…" April said softly, "I saw his hands...I know what happened."

Lorelai bit her lips nervously, "Don't be mad at him…"

"I'm not…" April said with a sad smile, "I just worry...he tries to be so strong for everyone else. I'm worried he'll ignore his own emotions...his own feelings. That's not healthy either…"

"We're going to talk to my counselor together. I think it will be good for the both of us…" Lorelai said as she glanced back at the kitchen and smiled when she saw the three boys scooping out ice cream together.

Rory smiled, "Hey...nice necklace, where did you get it?"

Lorelai smiled and reached up to hold the tree pendant hanging from her neck, "Luke gave it to me last night...it was my anniversary present."

"Are those birthstones?" April asked as she leaned in closer.

Lorelai nodded, "Yup. The four birthstones of our four amazing children…"

April blushed, "Even me?"

Lorelai smiled and reached over Rory and Elise to grab April's hand, "You know I love you just as much as the rest of my children. Right?"

April felt tears prickle in her eyes, "I know…"

Lorelai gave her hand a squeeze and smiled, "Good."

As Lorelai pulled her hand away, Luke, Jess and Jack walked up to the counter with ice cream for everyone. Lorelai smiled as they handed them out and she took a scoop of her ice cream and offered it to Luke. He gave her a look for a moment but she only pushed it closer to him. With a quick eye roll, he opened his mouth to accept the sugary treat. Lorelai smiled and leaned forward, he took the hint and leaned in halfway to give her a gentle kiss.

* * *

That night, Lorelai was lying on Jack's bed with him as Luke sat on the edge of the bed and read one of Jack's favorite books. Jack was pressed up against Lorelai's side as she played with the soft curls in his hair. When Luke finished the book, he closed it and turned back to his wife and son.

"Sleepy bud?" Luke asked as he leaned down to kiss Jack's head.

Jack had a far away look on his face, "Where is he now?"

Luke glanced back at Lorelai before turning back to his son, "Who? Christopher?"

Jack nodded slowly and glanced up at his Dad, "Yeah...where is he now?"

Luke pushed further down on the bed, "Well...he's in jail right now buddy."

"And he can't escape? Sometimes the bad guys escape in the comic book stories…" Jack said with a nervous frown.

Luke shook his head, "No Jack….he can't escape."

Jack was quiet for another moment and then Lorelai noticed tears welling up in his eyes, "Jack?" She asked softly, "What is it honey?"

Jack sniffled, "What if...what if you hadn't found me? What if I was still stuck there?"

Lorelai pulled him closer, "Oh Jack...Daddy and I would have searched forever if we had too."

"But what if I was lost forever? What if I never saw you again?" Jack asked in a scared voice.

Luke felt tears burning in his own eyes, but he wanted to be strong for his son, "But you aren't lost anymore Jack...you can't worry about that now. You're home with us...and that's where you'll stay."

Jack looked at his Dad, "We're you scared too? When I was away?"

Luke nodded slowly, "Terrified buddy...Mommy and I have never been so scared. You and your sisters mean the world to us…"

Jack was quiet for a moment, "He said he was scared…" He paused again, "What was he scared of?"

Lorelai sighed, "Jack...he knows what he did was wrong. And he was afraid of what would happened to him when we did find you."

Jack nodded, "Oh…" He pulled Oscar closer to him and rubbed his ears which he often did when he was tired, "It's sad that he is so unhappy…"

Lorelai looked over Jack's head at Luke who only stared at his son in surprise, "What?"

Jack shrugged, "I feel bad for him...I feel bad that he's so sad. That he makes such bad choices...he's not lucky like me."

"What do you mean?" Luke asked as he leaned up to run a hand through Jack's hair.

"Well sometimes I make bad choices…" Jack said as he continued to play with his bunny, "Like when I hide your keys...or when I don't share with Elise. Or even when I feed Paul Anka all my carrots so I don't have to eat them." He paused for a moment and then looked at his Mom, "But...even when I do those things...you still love me, right?"

Lorelai leaned forward and pressed a kiss to his small nose, "Of course Jack. We will always love you. No matter what…"

Jack nodded and pulled away, "Well...maybe no one really loved him. Maybe he just needed someone to love him and then he'd be nicer…" He frowned, "I don't like him...but I forgive him."

Lorelai whimpered softly, his words softened her slightly "Jack…"

"I think sometimes…" Jack continued, "Sometimes people do bad things because they are scared. And because they just want someone to notice them...like when my friends do something bad...sometimes it's because they want attention from their Mommy's and Daddy's. Their parents aren't like you...they aren't always there. And maybe Christopher needed his parents to love him more...maybe he needed someone to pay attention to him. So he made bad choices...and he feels bad about it. It's sad…"

Lorelai sat up slowly and pulled her son into her arms, "You are the most amazing kid in the world. Did you know that Jack Danes?" Her eyes locked with Luke's and she saw the same amount of awe and surprise that she felt.

Jack hugged her close, "Why?"

Lorelai pulled away and held his small face in her hands, "Because you have such a big heart. And I am so incredibly proud of you for being so brave and strong...you're amazing."

Jack smiled, "I'm brave and strong like you and Daddy…"

Luke laughed as he sat up, "Buddy...you are much stronger than us. You just proved that…"

Jack turned to look at his Dad, "I think we will have to disagree on that…"

Luke laughed again, "I guess we will…"

Jack was quiet for a moment, "Can I sleep in your room tonight? Or does that not make me brave or strong anymore?"

Luke shook his head, "Of course you can. In fact I think Mom and I would feel a lot braver and stronger if you were with us, right Lorelai?"

Lorelai smiled and kissed the side of Jack's face, "Right. Come on buddy."

Luke helped them both out of the bed and they walked all together towards their bedroom. Lorelai pulled the covers back so that Jack could crawl into the middle of the large bed. Luke flipped off the lights and put on a small night light they kept for nights when the kids slept in their room. He crawled into bed and pulled the covers up over Lorelai and Jack.

It wasn't long before Jack was sound asleep between them. But neither Lorelai or Luke seemed to be able to take their eyes off of their son.

"Did he really say all those things?" Lorelai whispered softly, "Did he really forgive him like that?"

Luke reached up over his son's head and wrapped a hand in Lorelai's curls, "He did…"

She tilted her head to stare at her husband, "He is stronger than us…"

Luke nodded slowly, "Yes he is…"

"How can someone so small be so wise? He's just a kid...how does he have the capacity to understand the world that way?" Lorelai asked as she looked back down at her sleeping son.

"I don't know...maybe he hasn't been jaded like we have." Luke said with a frown, "But you'd think after what he just went through...he'd be a little more cynical. Especially since he's my son…" He said with a laugh.

Lorelai was quiet for a moment, "Christopher did always need someone to love him...he needed acceptance. And he didn't have that in the last few years…"

Luke shifted to stared at her, "No...but it doesn't make what he did right."

Lorelai nodded, "I know…"

"You had a difficult relationship with your parents too Lorelai...but you didn't turn into a bad person." He said softly.

Lorelai smiled sadly, "No I didn't...but I'm not perfect either."

"Are you saying you want to forgive Christopher?" Luke asked curiously.

Lorelai shook her head, "No. I could never forgive him for this...especially now that I have read that letter. Knowing he would have left him there…" She shivered, "I'll never forgive him...but somewhere deep in my soul...I feel bad for him. I pity him really…"

"Why?" Luke asked softly.

"Because...Christopher could have had anything he wanted in life. He had opportunities handed to him on a silver platter. But...the one thing he ever really wanted was love. Real love…" She paused and looked up at her husband, "The kind of love that we have...the family that we have. He wanted that so desperately but didn't understand how to get it...how to make it last. He thought he could buy love…" She looked down at her son again, "But love is the one thing in the world you can't buy...it's the one thing you have to earn. To let yourself feel...the one thing that makes life worth living. And he will never have that…and that's sad."

Luke let her words sink in for a moment, "I never really thought of it that way…"

She shifted slightly and reached across Jack to take Luke's hand, "I hate him for what he did. I hate him for many of the things he has done to me...to Rory...to you." She licked her lips, "But despite all that pain he caused...he's made me appreciate my life so much more. Does that make sense?"

"I think so…" Luke whispered as he ran a finger over her knuckles gently, "But...I still hate him."

Lorelai couldn't help but laugh, "I know. And I do too...but I pity him at the same time."

They sat in silence for a moment before Luke whispered, "Hey Lorelai?"

"Yeah?" She asked as she leaned further into the pillow.

"Thank you…" He whispered so softly she wasn't sure if she had heard him right.

She opened her eyes and lifted her head to stare at him, "For what?"

He sighed and turned his head towards her, "For being such a good person…" He whispered, "For making me a better person…"

She frowned at him, "Luke...you've always been a good person."

He shook his head, "Maybe...but I didn't want people to see that side of me. But you make me show it...you make me open up. And I am grateful for that…" He looked down at his son, "And I'm grateful for the life we have...now more than ever. So damn grateful…"

She smiled at him and gave his hand a squeeze, "I love you…"

He lifted his eyes to hers and gave her a wink, "I love you more…"

She smirked and repeated her son's words from earlier, "I think we will have to disagree on that…"

Luke chuckled softly, "I guess we will…"

He smiled as Lorelai closed her eyes and snuggled closer to their son. Luke wrapped an arm around both of them and found himself falling in love even more. He could hate Christopher Hayden with every fiber of his being...and he did. But he pitied him too. Christopher had lost the love of Lorelai Gilmore...and that was something Luke never wanted to feel again. No matter what it took, he would make sure to love and cherish the woman beside him and their four amazing children because they were all that mattered in this world.

* * *

 **More to come soon :)**


	13. Chapter 13

**As always thanks for the feedback :) Will try and update soon!**

* * *

Two days later, the Danes family was falling into a routine and rhythm when it came to helping Jack. Most of the time he was okay, but seemed to struggle at night. They had agreed that he would either sleep in Lorelai and Luke's room until he was ready, or someone would sleep with him in his room.

One morning, Lorelai and Luke were awake and sitting at the kitchen table. Luke had made himself tea and Lorelai some coffee. Last night, Jess had slept with his cousin in his room to make him feel safe.

Lorelai lifted the cup of coffee to her mouth before whispering, "Luke...as much as I love having April, Jess and Rory here...they have to return to their lives at some point."

Luke sighed and began to stir his tea, "I know...but I don't think they are going to leave willingly."

Lorelai took a sip of the drink and nodded, "Probably not...but we need to talk to them about it. April needs to get back to school...and Rory and Jess need to get back to work."

"They are going to want to come back when the trial does happen." Luke said softly, "Jess already told me that last night…"

"I know. But that could be weeks or months from now. We don't know…" She said with a frown, "I don't want them to leave...but I it's probably the right thing to do."

"I know." Luke said leaning his elbows on the counter, "April will be the hardest to convince...she is going to be so far away."

"I was thinking that too…" She said sadly, "But this should be an exciting time for her...she's so smart I know she can catch up quickly."

Luke opened his mouth to respond but was cut off by April walking into the room, "I don't want to leave yet."

Lorelai and Luke looked back at her, "April…" Lorelai started, "Hon...we love having you here. But you can't stay forever…"

April sighed and went to sit with them at the table, "I don't care about school. My family is more important. School can wait...it will still be there when I'm ready to go back."

"But you were so excited about school." Luke said softly to her, "I know you love your brother...and you want to be here...but what is this really about?"

April pulled her feet up onto the chair and rested her head on her knees, "I liked the school when I looked at it..and it was nice when I was there. But...it's so far away. It was hard being that far away before...but now with everything going on I'm not sure I want to be there."

Lorelai frowned and reached for her hand, "I know it's hard hon...but you weren't there that long before all this happened. Maybe you need to just give it some time. And we will come visit soon."

April wiped at her tears, "I'm afraid to be that far away...when Mom came to tell me what happened I felt sick to my stomach. I wanted to be here right away...but it took so damn long on the plane. I was going crazy. I don't want to be that far away…"

Luke sighed and leaned into his daughter, "April...you know that your Mom, Lorelai and I will support any decision you want to make. But...I don't want you to make a decision out of fear right now. Your school said you can start again next semester if you really wanted too...but I think this is something we need to think about. We can talk to your Mom...I don't want you to jump into something before you are ready."

April pouted, "I just...I want to be close to you guys. I'll be coming back for the trial whether you want me to or not. I'm not letting you guys go through this without me."

Lorelai looked at her husband and he smiled, "Of course we want you there April...if that's what you want." He whispered.

"It's what I want…" April said softly, "I want to be here…as long as it's okay with you guys that I stay."

Lorelai smiled and leaned over to her step-daughter, "This is just as much your home as your Mom's. You are ALWAYS welcome. You know that."

"I do." April said with a smile as she leaned into hug her, "I think I'm gonna go call Mom actually…"

"Okay." Lorelai said giving her hand a squeeze as she got up to walk away.

When April was out of the room, Luke sighed and rubbed a hand over his face, "I want April to be comfortable. But I also hate thinking that she is going to put off so much of her life because of all this. Because of Christopher…"

Lorelai frowned and walked over to sit on his lap, "I know hon...but I guess we have to remember that the rest of the kids are just as affected by this as we are. It's going to take time for all of us to process this. And maybe being so far away will be too much or April...she could start again in January...or transfer if that's what she feels is best. We need to talk to Anna…"

Luke held her close and rested his chin on her shoulder, "I know...I keep forgetting what this means for all of them too. Especially Rory…"

Lorelai frowned, "Rory doesn't want to talk about him at all really...and I don't want to push it. But I know she has a lot going on in her head…"

Luke rubbed her back soothingly, "I know...he's her father."

She gave him a squeeze, "You're her father…"

He smiled and lifted his face to kiss her cheek, "Maybe I am...but it still doesn't erase the fact that biologically he made her."

Lorelai rolled her eyes, "Yeah...that's about all he was good for. Hasn't done a damn thing for her since except break her heart…"

"Your Dad asked if you were going to tell her about the letter...about what he was planning on doing. I told him we hadn't really discussed it…" He whispered.

Lorelai was quiet for a moment, "I don't really want her to know...but at the same time I feel like it could come up at the trial. It's a piece of evidence...and I don't want her to find out that way. It's probably something she needs to hear from me...but how do I even begin to explain that to her?"

"I don't know. Because I still haven't really processed it." Luke said.

"Me either." She said with a pout, "I mean...I knew Christopher was weak. I knew he was a coward...but to just leave a child there all alone? And just hope that we would find him...he says he feels remorse but I don't believe that. How could anyone do something like that...leave a little boy to die on his own like that…"

"I don't know…" Luke whispered as he gave her hips a squeeze, "I will never understand a lot of the things that have gone through his mind…"

"Thank God for you…" Lorelai whispered as she reached for his face, "I don't know where Rory and I would have ended up without you Luke Danes...you were exactly what we needed."

Luke smiled at her, "From the moment I met the two of you...I was a goner. There was no getting away from either of you. I'd do anything to make you happy...then and now. I just wish I could make all this pain go away…"

"I know." She said as she kissed the top of his head, "And I love you for that…"

Luke tipped his head to kiss her, "Love you too…"

Lorelai pulled him closer again for another kiss but was interrupted by a knock on the front door. She smiled at Luke, gave him a quick peck and then got up to answer the door. She smiled when she saw her best friend Sookie standing on the other side with a basket of goodies.

"Hey Sook!" Lorelai said with a smile, "What is all this?"

"I made some of those cinnamon buns that Jack loves. Thought I'd bring them over." She said holding up the basket, "There's some cookies and stuff for later too…"

Lorelai beamed at her, "He will love that. Thanks Sookie. Wanna come in? Sorry I've been so M.I.A. lately…"

Sookie stepped into the house and waved her off, "Lorelai...you've had a hell of a lot going on. I didn't want to interrupt...just check in. How is he?"

Lorelai walked into the kitchen with her, "He's...dealing. He's still asleep right now. But he's doing good."

"Hey Sookie." Luke said from his spot at the table, "What's all that?"

"Made some goodies I know Jack likes." She said as she placed them on the table, "How are you guys doing?"

Lorelai pushed her chair closer to Luke and took his hand in hers, "We're getting by…"

Sookie shook her head as she sat down, "I don't know if I could be as strong as you two are. If it was one of my kids…" She sniffled slightly, "Hell even just knowing Jack was out there I was terrified. I think I'm smothering Davey and Martha...they are getting annoyed with me."

Luke smiled at her, "Someday they'll understand…parents would do anything for their kids."

"Good one's at least." Sookie said with a raised eyebrow, "Clearly not Christopher. I just can't believe he would stoop so low...I hated him before...but now I wish he was dead. How dare he do this to you guys?"

Lorelai sighed and leaned into the table, "You should hear Jack...he keeps saying he forgives him. He's so much stronger than we are...he said Christopher never had anyone to really love him. That he was looking for attention…"

Sookie placed a hand over her heart, "That sweet boy…"

Luke shook his head, "Despite everything he has been through...he still believes in the good in the world. And that is something I really want him to be able to hold onto."

"I can't even imagine it…" Sookie said softly, "How scared he must have been…"

Just then Jess walked into the room with Jack on his shoulders, "Morning Mommy."

Lorelai smiled up at Jack, "Hey buddy. Look what Auntie Sookie brought you! Lots of goodies!"

"Cinnamon buns?" Jack asked as he kicked his legs around Jess's head.

Sookie smiled up at him, "Yup! Got up early this morning and made a fresh batch! They should still be warm!"

"Thank you Auntie Sookie!" Jack said as Jess let him down on the ground, "Can I have one now Dad?"

"Sure bud." Luke said as he stood up to get a plate, he turned towards Jess, "Rory still asleep?"

Jess grimaced slightly, "Uh...don't think so. Walked by her room...sounded like she was crying...wasn't sure if I should go in there or not…"

Lorelai frowned, "I'll go." She paused and looked at Sookie, "You gonna hang around for a bit?"

Sookie nodded, "Yeah. Jackson took the kids to school. I'll be here."

"Great." She said giving her friend's arm a squeeze, she gave Luke a small smile, placed a kiss on Jack's head and then made her way towards the stairs.

She quietly walked towards the bedroom that April and Rory were currently sharing. She tapped on the door before poking her head in and finding her eldest daughter sitting up on the bed crying softly.

"Hey kid…" She whispered before walking into the room, "You okay?"

Rory quickly wiped at her eyes and tried to smile, "Hey...I'm fine. Where's Jack? You should be with-"

Lorelai ignored her and sat down beside her, "He's downstairs with Jess, Luke and Sookie. Elise is still asleep and April is on the phone with her Mom. I'm exactly where I should be. Tell me what's going on in that head of yours kiddo…"

Rory sighed and leaned against her Mother, even at her age she needed her just as she did when she was a kid. "Last night...Dad called me from jail."

"What?" Lorelai asked quickly, "When? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want to upset you. I didn't accept the call...and he tried again. But I don't want to talk to him. So this morning when I woke up...there was an email from his lawyer for me. Said Dad really wants to talk to me and try and explain." She said with an eye roll, "But really what is there to explain? He kidnapped my little brother! I don't care what his excuse is...nothing will ever make that okay."

Lorelai sighed and rubbed her arm gently, "Aw hon…"

"I'm just so frustrated. I always think I'm over it...that I'm past all his crap. And just when I think I've put it in the past he does something else stupid. And it shouldn't hurt as much as it does...but every time it's like a slap in the face. Why do I care so much Mom? Why can't I just let him go?" She asked as she started to sob.

Lorelai pulled her close, "Because no matter what he has done...he is your father Rory. And at the end of the day...you want him to be different. And you know I do too. I always wanted him to be a better father for you. I wanted him to show up when you needed him and to keep his promises. Never in my wildest dreams did I predict any of the last six years...I wish to God I could change it all for you. I wish I could make this better...but I can't babe."

"I know." Rory said sniffling slightly, "And you're already going through so much...I don't want to add to your stress."

Lorelai shook her head adamantly, "Hey...just because you're all grown up doesn't mean I wouldn't walk through fire for you kid. This whole situation doesn't just affect Jack...it's going to take all of us sometime to deal with it. You especially...he was and is your father."

"I hate him…" Rory whispered softly, "But I just want it to be different...I want it all to be different. I don't want this for Jack...or for any of us."

"I know." Lorelai said giving her a squeeze, "You know that Luke and I will support any decisions you make. If you feel like you need to talk to him...then we can go with you. Or if you feel like you want to talk to someone like we are...that's good too. Anything you need to get through this...we are here."

Rory nodded slowly and pulled away, "Thanks Mom…" She wiped at her tears for a moment and smiled, "I think I'm gonna take a quick shower."

Lorelai nodded, "Sure. Wanna use mine? We have the better water pressure in there."

Rory smiled, "Sure. Thanks."

"Take your time. Sookie made cinnamon buns...there are plenty." She said as she stood up to walk towards the door.

"Hey Mom?" Rory called out softly, Lorelai turned and waited, "I love you…"

Lorelai's face softened and she leaned against the door frame before whispering, "I love you more than you could possibly know kid...always will."

She gave her a wink and then walked out of the bedroom and across the hall to Elise's room. She smiled at the little girl who was sitting up in bed with her unruly curls and big blue eyes staring up at her Mom.

"Hi baby girl." Lorelai whispered as she reached into the crib and scooped her up, "You were a sleep girl today…Hungry?"

Elise just nodded and snuggled into her Mother's side. Lorelai smiled, kissed the top of her head and started to walk back downstairs. She smiled when she saw that April had joined them all in the kitchen after her phone call.

"Save any cinnamon buns for me?" Lorelai asked teasingly.

"A few." Jack said through a mouthful of sticky frosting, "I already had two!"

Lorelai chuckled, "Of course you did." She shifted Elise to her hip and then went to the fridge to get some fruit for her.

Luke walked towards the fridge and ruffled Elise's hair, "Rory okay?"

Lorelai shrugged and whispered to him, "Christopher tried to call her last night...twice. And his lawyer sent her an email this morning. He wants to talk to her...to explain things." She rolled her eyes, "She's just really confused...and torn up about all of this."

Luke sighed and leaned against the counter, "Does she want to go see him?"

"She's not really sure yet." Lorelai said as she held out a piece of strawberry for her youngest daughter, "But I told her we would support any decision she made…"

Luke nodded, "Of course we will. I'd prefer it if she stayed away...but I understand why she might need to speak to him."

"It's all so complicated." Lorelai said as she glanced back at Jack who was distracted by Jess and April making him laugh.

"I know…" Luke whispered, "But we'll figure it all out...it's just going to take some time. That's all…"

"I know." Lorelai said as she fed Elise another strawberry, she leaned forward and kissed Elise's cheek, "I just want to make it all better for them somehow…"

"You can't fix it all Lorelai...no one can." He said with a sad smile, "You know I would if I could. But this time we can't...we're all going to have to face this head on." He reached for Elise and pulled her into his arms before grabbing milk for her.

Lorelai smiled at him, "I know...just wish I could give them all a time frame for when the hurt will just go away…"

Luke leaned forward, kissed the top of her head and smiled, "That's what makes you a Good Mother. One of the many reasons really…"

She beamed up at him, "Thanks babe…"

He gave her a wink and walked back to the table, Lorelai followed and scooped up Jack before placing him on her lap. "Want some?" Jack asked holding out a piece of cinnamon roll for her, Lorelai smiled and took the bite, "Is Rory okay?" He asked.

Lorelai nodded and kissed the top of his head, "She's good bud. She's just taking a shower. I promised her we would save one of these for her."

"Still not mad at me?" Jack asked softly as he looked up at her nervously.

Lorelai shook her head and gave him another kiss, "Not at all buddy…"

Jack nodded slowly and started to nibble at his cinnamon bun again. Lorelai held him close and gave both Sookie and Luke a gentle smile.

* * *

Later that night, April and Rory were sitting out back with Elise and Jack while Luke and Lorelai cleaned up dinner in the kitchen. Jess had excused himself to make a phone call and was now walking back into the kitchen.

He smiled at them, "Need help?"

"Wanna dry?" Lorelai asked as she handed him a towel.

Jess nodded slowly and took the towel before beginning to dry the excess water off the dishes. "So...I wanted to talk to you guys about something."

Luke glanced at his wife and then back at his nephew, "Okay. What's up?"

Jess shifted nervously for a minute, "I uh...I was wondering how you'd feel about me moving into the apartment above the Diner."

Luke frowned, "What? Why? What's wrong with your apartment in the city? You can't stay here forever Jess...we appreciate everything you have done for us. But you have to get back to work at some point."

Jess smiled at him, "I'm a writer Luke. I can do that anywhere…"

Lorelai stared at him for a moment, "That may be true...but do you really want to stay here Jess? It's the complete opposite of the City…"

Jess chuckled, "Oh trust me I remember…"

"Then why on earth would you want to come back?" Lorelai asked gently, "Not that we don't love having you here…"

Jess sighed and leaned against the counter behind him, "I uh...I've been thinking about it for awhile actually. Before all this happened even...life's been kind of crazy in New York. And I think I need a little break."

"Jess…" Luke whispered softly, "Is everything okay?"

Jess smiled at him, "Yeah...I like New York. But I've been getting a bit too caught up in that lifestyle. Going out a lot...missing deadlines. It's not been good for me…"

Lorelai frowned, "You haven't mentioned that girl you were seeing...Megan…"

Jess raised an eyebrow and smirked, "Yeah well...she fell in love with my editor. They are living together in a huge apartment on the Upper East Side. Heard she was pregnant too…not mine."

"Oh Jess…" Lorelai said softly, "I'm so sorry…"

He shrugged, "It is it what it is. We fought too much anyway...and she encouraged the partying. It was fun while it lasted...but I think I need a change of pace. And being back here has been good...I mean I wish it was under different circumstances but still. I like being around Doula...she's grown up a lot. And same with Jack and Elise...it's cool seeing them grow and change. It wouldn't be so bad to stay here...I don't know if it would be forever. But for now…" He looked back at his Uncle, "Besides...with everything going on I want to be around when you need me. The trial is going to be here soon...and I want to help with that."

Luke stared at his nephew for a moment, "You've grown up a lot, you know that? Sometimes it's hard to believe how far you have come…"

Jess smiled sheepishly and looked down, "Yeah well...I never would have made it this far without you. You didn't put up with my shit...and as much as I pretended to hate it...it was exactly what I needed."

Luke swallowed hard, "Jess…"

"April asked about my Dad...Jack too." He shrugged, "Haven't seen or heard from him since I left California. And that sucks...but you've always been there Uncle Luke. And now...I want to be here for you." He turned towards Lorelai, "And you too Lorelai...we didn't start out great. But...I think we've made progress in the last few years."

Lorelai smiled at him, "We have. You know we'd love to have you around Jess. You're a huge part of this family. And we wouldn't have been able to get through all this without you the last few weeks…"

Jess smiled at her, "So...then it's okay if I stay? If I use the apartment?"

Luke smiled and clapped his nephew's back, "You stay as long as you want."

Jess nodded slowly, "Thanks...some of my friends are gonna ship some stuff to me soon. I'll head back to the City in a week or so and get some other stuff."

"I am sorry about Megan…" Luke said softly, "Really sucks…"

"I'll survive." Jess said with a smile, "Besides...that's the last thing on my mind right now. Making sure everything is okay here is way more important."

Lorelai smiled and walked towards him to give him a big hug, "Thank you Jess…"

Jess gave her a squeeze back and then they finished drying the dishes all together. Lorelai grabbed some blankets and headed out back as the sun set over the lake. She pulled Elise and Jack up into her lap and Luke wrapped a blanket around all three of them before sitting behind Lorelai and positioning her between his legs.

She rested her back against his chest and he kissed the top of her head gently, "Doesn't get much better than this…" He mumbled into her hair.

She smiled and shook her head, "Nope. It doesn't."

"It would be better if we had cupcakes." Jack said casually from his spot on his Mother's lap.

Everyone laughed and Luke groaned, "Buddy...you had about 4 cinnamon buns today and more cookies than I can count. How could you possibly have more room in that tiny little body of yours?"

Jack shrugged, "I get it from Mom."

Everyone laughed again and Lorelai smiled proudly at him, "That's my boy…"

"Geez...when he's a teenager he will rob us blind of money. We'll be making multiple trips to the store a day to keep up with him!" Luke said with a chuckle.

"So you'll have to put him to work at the Diner to help pay for those groceries." Lorelai said.

"Not a good idea." Jess said with a laugh, "I think I gained ten pounds working there...I snacked on things all the time."

"You did?" Luke asked, "Geez...I should have docked your pay…"

Jess rolled his eyes, "Oh okay Luke…"

"I don't know why I put up with all of you." Luke said with a sigh as they all continued to laugh at him.

"Because you would be totally and completely lost without us babe." Lorelai said giving his hand a squeeze, "You're life would be so boring without our craziness!"

"My life was not boring before you." Luke said defensively.

"Okay…" She said with a laugh, "If you say so…"

"It wasn't!" Luke said with a laugh, "Really...I did things."

"Like what?" April said with a smirk, "Other than work, the occasional fishing trip and more work...what was exciting about your life?"

Luke paused for a moment and then laughed, "Okay...you're right my life was pretty dull without all of you lunatics. But sometimes I miss the quiet…"

"You're life will never be quiet again." Rory said with a laugh, "That ship sailed the minute Mom tore into the Diner in a caffeine frenzy and gave you the horoscope…"

"Aw geez!" Luke said, "Why do we have to bring that up again? Am I ever going to live that down?"

"Do you still have it?" April asked hopefully, "I've heard about it but never actually seen it!"

"No." Luke said stubbornly.

Lorelai rolled her eyes, "It's still in his wallet. Trust me. He wouldn't dare get rid of it."

April smirked and held out her hand, "Fork it over Pops…"

He sighed, scooted up and pulled out his wallet to give to his daughter, "Fine."

April smiled, took it from him and Rory moved closer to her, "Let's see this famous thing…" She opened the wallet and pulled the faded piece of paper out of its pocket, "You will meet an annoying woman today...give her coffee and she'll go away."

"Horoscope was only half true." Luke said with a smirk.

"Watch it mister…" Lorelai said tilting her head to look back at him with a playful glare.

He smiled and leaned forward to kiss her lips, "Yes dear…"

"Man you're whipped…" Jess said with a laugh as he took the paper from April, "Knew it years ago but you just confirmed it…"

Luke sighed, "Yes. Yes we all know that Lorelai has me wrapped around her finger. No need to discuss it any further."

Lorelai giggled and pulled his arms around her tighter, "That's why I fell in love with you babe."

He smiled and kissed the side of her face, "Good to know…"

"That and the delicious burgers and coffee…" Rory said with a smirk. "Can't forget that part. We would have starved to death years ago without you Luke."

He chuckled, "That's definitely true."

"Mommy look!" Jack yelled as he pointed above him, "Fireflies! Fireflies!"

Lorelai smiled and gave her son a squeeze, "I see them baby…"

Jack smiled and looked over at April, "I saw them all the time when I was with him. And I remembered what you told me! So I knew that they'd help me get home just like you said."

They all sat quietly for a moment. Jack hadn't talked to anyone but his parents about his time away yet. They knew about the fireflies, but his sisters and Jess didn't. They stared at him in awe for a minute before April spoke up again.

"We saw them too buddy…" She whispered to him. "We saw them too…"

Jack smiled and looked back up at them, "They really are good luck! They helped me when I was scared…"

Lorelai felt the tears building in her eyes, "Jack…" She whispered softly.

Jack turned to look at her and asked, "Can you see fireflies from jail?"

Lorelai tensed slightly, "Um...no Jack I don't think so."

Jack was quiet for a moment and then turned back around to lean against his Mother again, "Oh. I was thinking that if he was scared...maybe they would make him feel better."

Lorelai glanced over at Rory and the rest of the kids, they all looked shocked by his words. She gave them a small smile and then leaned down to kiss Jack's head. "I don't want you to worry about that Jack…"

He shrugged, "I know. He did a bad thing...and it was scary. But he's still a person...and all people get scared sometimes."

Luke reached forward and gave his son's arm a squeeze, "You're right Jack...they do. But sometimes when people do bad things...they have to face the consequences...even if it is scary."

Jack nodded, "I know…" He turned slowly towards Rory, "Are you ever gonna talk to him again Rory? I think he misses you…"

"Jack…" Lorelai whispered and gave him a squeeze, "Honey I-"

"It's okay Mom." Rory said giving her a small smile, she held her arms out to her brother, "Come here for a second Jack…"

Jack scurried off his Mother's lap and Lorelai pulled the now sleeping Elise closer. Rory pulled her brother down onto her lap and rocked him back and forth as they stared up at the fireflies.

"Jack...he will always be my Dad. I realize that now...and I think it is amazing that you are so brave. But...I'm not sure I can be as brave as you." She said to him.

"Why not?" Jack asked softly, "You're always brave."

Rory smiled at him, "Not always...and not with this. I'm sad Jack...sad that my Dad could do something so terrible to someone I love so much. I know that to you...it seems mean for me to say I don't want him around. But someday you may understand how I am feeling…"

"But don't you need your Dad?" Jack asked softly, "I need my Dad…"

Rory gave him a squeeze, "I have all I need right here Jack...this is my family. My Dad chose to not be a part of my life for a very long time...and then he chose to hurt two people I love the most. It proved to me that he didn't want to be a part of my life at all. It's just the way that it is...and maybe I will go and talk to him. But I don't need him in my life...I only need you and the rest of these crazy people beside us."

Jack smiled and looked back at the rest of his family, "We're lucky…"

Rory rested her chin on Jack's head and smiled at her Mother and Luke, "We are very lucky Jack. The luckiest…"

Jack nodded slowly and turned back to look at the fireflies, "I'm glad I'm home…"

Rory pulled him even closer, "So are we bud. You have no idea how glad we are…"

Jess wrapped an arm around April who hugged him tight. Luke rubbed Lorelai's arms up and down gently and she breathed him in. After all the terrible days...this moment was exactly what they needed to begin to heal as a family.

* * *

Once Elise was put to bed, April crawled into bed with Jack for the night and Jess went to visit with his Mother and TJ. Rory was getting ready for bed before she went to knock on Lorelai and Luke's door.

Luke opened the door and smiled when he saw her, "Hey. You okay?"

She smiled at him, "Yeah...I just wanted to talk to you and Mom about something. Is now a good time?"

Luke nodded and stepped aside, "Sure. Come in."

Lorelai smiled and patted the spot beside her on the bed, "Bad dream again kiddo? We got plenty of room for you. I made Luke spring for the California King…"

Rory smiled and sat next to her Mom, "No...no bad dreams." She paused for a moment and then looked at Luke who was standing beside her at the edge of the bed, "I uh...I think I decided that I want to go talk to Dad."

Lorelai sighed softly and took her hand, "I thought you might…"

Rory bit her lip nervously, "I really didn't think I would want too. And quite honestly...I have no idea what I am even going to say to him. But...after hearing Jack talk about it today...I feel like it's something I need to do."

"Well I told you that we would support any decision you made." Lorelai said softly giving her hand a squeeze, "And I meant that."

Rory smiled and looked over at Luke, "What do you think?"

Luke sighed and sat on the edge of the bed, "Rory...your Dad and I have never been the best of friends. And clearly...we never will be. I've made peace with that. But I hate that he has continued to cause you pain after all these years...if I could change this for you I would. I don't love the idea of you being anywhere near him...but I respect why you feel that you need to do this."

She nodded slowly and wiped at her eyes, "You know I wish you were my Dad...right? I mean you are...but I wish that biologically-"

He nodded slowly, "I know that Rory...and I wish that too."

She sniffled again, "It's just...I don't know how to let go. I want too...I thought I did before he took Jack. I thought I could just forget he existed...but I can't. I'm so angry...and so hurt. And I can't understand how Jack can just forgive him the way he has. Maybe I'm just more messed up than I realized…"

"You are not messed up." Luke said softly, "You're an amazing person Rory. And your Dad is an idiot for missing out on your life. Not just the last years...but from the very beginning. I'll never understand why he chose to stay away...but I know that deep down he regrets it. He knows he screwed up long before he hit your Mom…"

Rory nodded slowly, "Yeah...you're right. He did mess up long before that…" She lifted her head and smiled softly at him, "But you were always there to pick up the pieces he left behind…"

Luke swallowed hard, "I'd do it all again in a heartbeat…"

"I know…" Rory whispered in a soft voice, she started crying again, "God...I'm like a walking tear duct these days…"

Lorelai smiled and leaned into her daughter, "Rory it's okay...this is a lot to process. We're all a bit of a mess. But it's going to be okay…"

She nodded and held her Mother close, "I know…" She paused for a moment, "I talked to Grandpa...a friend of his said there is an opening teaching at Yale. I think I might take it…"

Lorelai paused and looked over at her husband, surprised by the sudden shift in conversation, "What? Why? What about your job at the New York Times?"

Rory sighed and pulled away, "I miss it here…" Rory said with a shrug, "I mean the job at the Times was an amazing experience and I loved every minute of it. But I always felt a little out of place...a little homesick. And with everything that has happened...it only made that homesick feeling stronger. I want to be closer to you guys...I hate missing out on so much with Elise and Jack. I want to be around more…"

Luke rubbed the back of his neck, "But are you sure Rory? You know we'd love for you to be closer...but that's a big change for you."

Rory shrugged, "it's time for a change...there isn't much keeping me in the city. I'm not dating anyone...I live alone now that Paris and Doyle are married. Besides I loved Yale. I would be teaching a writing class...something I love. They said I can even oversee the paper there...I'd feel like I was right at home."

"Just out of curiousity...did you, April and Jess all get together and make these decisions without us?" Lorelai said with a smirk.

Rory smiled, "We may have all discussed moving home yes…"

"And you all aren't doing this just for us, right?" Lorelai asked reaching out to push some hair out of her face, "Because if that's the only reason...I'll march all three of you out of here tomorrow. I'm not letting you all give up on your dreams because you are afraid that Luke and I can't handle this on our own."

Rory shook her head, "No. I've been thinking about this for awhile now...even before what happened with Jack. I had even called Grandpa to get his input on it. But this...this just sealed the deal for me. For Jess too...and as far as April...she will make the right choice when she is ready."

Lorelai looked back at Luke, "Looks like we aren't getting rid of them anytime soon…"

Luke chuckled, "I'm more than okay with that…"

Rory smiled, "Because your life would be so boring without all of us, right?"

Luke smiled at her, "You got it…"

Rory took a deep breath and squeezed her Mother's hand, "Well I feel better now that we've talked."

"Good." Lorelai said leaning forward to give her forehead a kiss, "We will call Grandpa in the morning and discuss you going to see Dad…"

"Okay…" She whispered softly and then looked down at the bed, "Can I uh...can I ask for one more favor?"

Lorelai smiled at her, "Sure kid, what is it?"

"This is probably a little weird now that I think about it…" She said with a laugh, "Forget it."

Lorelai shook her head, "Spill it Rory."

Rory smiled, "Think I can stay in here for a bit? Keep those nightmares away?"

Lorelai smiled and turned towards her husband, "That okay with you old man?"

Luke laughed, "Sure." He gave Rory's arm a squeeze and then stood up to walk around to the other side of the bed.

Lorelai scooted towards the middle and Rory lay on Lorelai's side as Luke crawled in beside his wife. He pulled the blankets up around them and smiled at the two women who had stolen his heart so many years ago. For years he had hoped to be able to take care of them. And now he was...they were a real family. And nothing was ever going to change that…

* * *

 **Hoping to find some time tomorrow to write the next chapter :) So keep an eye out for it!**


	14. Chapter 14

**As always thanks for the reviews :) will try and update as soon as possible.**

* * *

Three days later, Jess and April took Elise and Jack over to Liz and TJ's house for a visit. Rory, Luke and Lorelai headed to see a counselor all together to discuss seeing Christopher. Rory was nervous as they waited, and Lorelai took her hand to try and comfort her. As they all settled into their seats, Lorelai's counselor Natalie smiled at all of them to welcome them to their session.

"It's wonderful to finally meet you Rory. I wish it was under better circumstances...but I am glad that you have decided to come in and talk. I think it will be very helpful for all of you." She gave Rory a smile who just stared back at her nervously, "I want you to know that this is a safe place...that what you tell me here and in front of your Mother and Luke is confidential. You can share as much or as little as you feel comfortable with, alright?"

Rory nodded slowly and glanced over at her Mother who gave her hand a squeeze, "Okay…"

Natalie shifted slightly and reached for her pad of paper, "So Rory...why don't we start with your relationship with your Dad when you were younger. I know he wasn't around much...how did that make you feel?"

Rory took a moment before she answered, "Well...I didn't really understand it when I was little. But I was always excited when he did visit. I always thought he'd eventually stick around."

"But he didn't?" Natalie asked, "Did he make a lot of promises he couldn't keep?"

Rory nodded, "Yes. He often cancelled visits at the last minute or cut his time short with us. But Mom always found a way to cheer me up after…"

Natalie smiled, "You are very close to your Mother…"

Rory smiled and glanced at her Mom, "She's my best friend."

"And how do you feel about Luke? What did you think when you first met him?" Natalie asked curiously.

Rory turned and looked at Luke who was nervously staring down at his hands, "I liked Luke from the beginning. He made me laugh...and he was nice to us. I could see how comfortable my Mom felt with him and that made me happy. Made me feel safer…"

Luke glanced up at her, he seemed surprised by her words but he didn't respond so Natalie pressed on, "What do you mean safer?"

Rory turned away from Luke and shrugged, "Mom gave me everything I needed. But there were times when we were in that big house when I felt a little unsettled...but for some reason knowing Luke was close by made me feel better. I knew he'd do anything for us. He never let us down...not like…"

"Not like your Dad?" Natalie asked softly, "Is that what you mean?"

Rory nodded slowly, "He was everything my Dad wasn't...reliable and caring. He fed us which was important because Mom couldn't cook…" Everyone laughed, "He fixed things around the house...he gave us a safe place to meet at the end of the day. He just...made us feel comfortable and settled which we needed."

Natalie smiled at Luke who looked both embarrassed and happy at the same time, "And as you got older...would you say your feelings changed for your Dad and Luke?"

Rory nodded slowly, "Yes. I stopped believing that Dad would be there for me. I accepted that in some way. I think I started seeing Luke fill that role...even before he started dating Mom."

"And how do you think your Dad felt about that?" Natalie asked curiously.

"He didn't really see it until they started dating. But I could tell it bothered him. All of a sudden he was showing up...trying to pay for school and spend time with me. But it was too late...he had missed too much already. I didn't trust him." Rory said with a shrug.

"Your Mother mentioned once that you asked your Dad to stay away from her and Luke...why did you do that?" Natalie asked.

Rory frowned and looked down at her hands, "Because I knew that he would find a way to mess it up. I knew he'd cause problems...and he did."

"Were you angry at your Mother for continuing to talk to him?" Natalie asked.

Rory shook her head, "No...not really. I mean I understood why she did. She always wanted me to have a relationship with him and I love her for that. She did it for me...and because she is a good person. But...it bothered me that he was able to have so much control over her."

"So...when Luke and your Mother broke up...and your Mom then married your Dad...how did you feel about that?" Natalie asked.

Rory could feel both Luke and her Mom tense beside her but she knew she had to keep talking, "I was angry...at my Mom and my Dad. I was mad at Dad because he knew better...he knew Mom wasn't in a good place and he took advantage of that."

"And why were you mad at your Mom?" Natalie asked.

Rory turned and looked at her Mom, "I was mad that she fell for it again...for his promises and his lies. I was mad that she let herself run from something good...Luke made mistakes though too. I guess I was just...sad more than anything. For both of them."

"Were you mad at Luke?" Natalie asked, "You said he made mistakes too…"

Rory sighed, "Yeah...I was a little mad at him too…" She turned towards Luke who looked so sad, "It was the first time he disappointed me...I think I was more surprised by it than anything else."

"But you still went to him...that night that your Dad attacked your Mom. If you were mad at him why did you go to him?" She asked.

Rory's eyes welled up with tears and Lorelai grabbed her hand again, "Because...I was scared. And I knew that no matter what had happened...Luke would be there. I knew he still cared about mom...I knew they both regretted everything. And I needed to feel safe...I needed Mom to feel safe and he was the only person that could make that happen. When Babbette told me what happened...he was the only person I wanted to see."

Luke slowly reached over and took her other hand and gave it a squeeze, "And did he make you feel safe again?"

Rory looked up at Luke and nodded slowly, "He did...he helped bring Mom back. He made things better…"

"Were you happy when they got back together?" Natalie asked with a smile.

"Very." Rory said as she smiled through her tears, "I knew it would stick...I knew they wouldn't mess it up that time."

Natalie was quiet for a moment, "After your Dad hit your Mom...what were your feelings towards him?"

Rory sucked in a breath before answering, "I hated him. I hated him for hurting her that way. You can be angry...we all get angry...but to put your hands on someone is wrong. And it proves how cowardly he really is. He did it because he knew Mom didn't love him...and rather than accept that he tried to use his power over her. He broke a part of her...and that killed me."

"Did you feel scared for yourself?" Natalie asked.

"Not really…" Rory whispered, "I was more concerned about her. And then when he went away to prison I thought we could put it behind us."

"What did you think when you found out he was going to be released?" She asked.

"I was terrified…" Rory whispered, "And angry...I had so many things I wanted to say to him. That's why I asked Mom and Luke to let me see him...I thought I could get closure. And he said he would stay away...but once again he broke his promise."

She hesitated and Natalie could sense Rory was holding something back, "What is it Rory?"

Rory started to cry again, "Mom and Luke keep telling me I shouldn't feel this way but…"

"Feel what way?" Natalie asked.

"I feel like it's my fault that Dad took Jack…" She said looking up to face Natalie with tear filled eyes.

"Rory we talked about this…" Lorelai whispered feeling the need to interject.

Rory sighed, "I know...but if I had just kept my mouth shut maybe he would have stayed away. I made him angry...I told him that I didn't want to be a part of his life. I told him I hated him...that I wished Luke was my Dad. I knew that would make him angry...and it set him off. He took my little brother...my helpless baby brother...and I can't help but think about how bad it really could have been."

There was a silence between them for a moment, "Rory...I think your Dad would have done something no matter what you said to him. He doesn't have the ability to have normal reactions to things. Clearly there are underlying problems that need to be addressed there...but you shouldn't feel guilt about it." She paused. "What do you want to say to your Dad now?"

"I want to know why...I want to know what he thought that would accomplish." She said with a sniffle, "I want to know what his real plan was...what he was going to do with Jack…"

Lorelai flinched and looked over at Luke. They had discussed telling Rory about the letter but were unsure how she would react to it. They had discussed it with Natalie in a prior meeting and she told them it was probably something that Rory did need to know.

Luke seemed to sense what his wife was thinking, "Rory...there is something we need to tell you."

Rory glanced up at him curiously, "What do you mean?"

Luke sighed and squeezed her hand tightly, "They found a letter that your Dad had written. It revealed his plan in it...he didn't want to go back to jail. So...he was planning on killing himself and leaving Jack there hoping someone would find him."

Rory started breathing hard and Lorelai scooted closer to her, "Rory…"

"What?" Rory asked angrily, "He was just going to leave Jack there? What if he had died there? All alone and scared?"

"You can't think about the what if's…" Luke whispered, "Trust me...it's been driving your Mom and I crazy. But we have to focus on the fact that Jack is home safe with us...and that your Dad is back where he belongs."

Rory was crying harder now as she looked back at her Mom, "God I wish now more than ever he was dead. I hate him. He's sick and I hate him!"

"Shh…" Lorelai whispered as she pulled her closer, "Honey it's alright…."

"It's not alright!" Rory said angrily, "How could he do something like that to a little boy? Jack didn't do anything to him! That's my father...I'm part of him. What if I am like him in some way and-"

"Rory you are nothing like your Father…" Lorelai said leaning her face towards hers, "You are a good person Rory…"

Rory shook her head, "But I did so many terrible things to you...I got so caught up in that world when I was away at school. I was like Dad...I hurt you. I ignored everything you ever taught me...I let money rule my life like he did."

"Oh hon…" Lorelai whispered softly, "That still doesn't make you like him...all that is behind us. You were young...you made mistakes. We all make mistakes...but what your father did is more than a mistake. He knew what he was doing was wrong…"

"But Mom…" Rory whispered, "He's my father...I am part of him. And that scares me…"

Natalie leaned forward, "Rory...your Mother is right. The feelings you are having are normal but they aren't valid. You are a good person...you are proving that by showing how much you care about your family. Christopher doesn't' seem to have that level of emotion or understanding. You shouldn't feel guilty about anything or worried you will end up like him...you have a heart unlike him. You show empathy and character that your father doesn't possess…"

Lorelai leaned forward and wiped a tear from Rory's cheek, "How do we make this better for her?"

Natalie was quiet for a moment, "I think that the both of you need to go and see Christopher in jail...you need to let go somehow. The only way to do that is to face it together...say the things you need to say and leave it behind."

Luke grimaced beside them, "I don't like the sound of that…"

Natalie smiled, "I can understand your hesitation. But I really do feel that it would be helpful for them. They have been facing their emotions on their own to try and protect each other. But for Rory's whole life...he was a sore subject for both of them. They need to face it together…"

Rory frowned, "I don't think I can forgive him the way that Jack has…"

"And you don't have to forgive him." Natalie said, "You are entitled to your feelings Rory and your feelings are valid. What your father did was terrible...and he's spent a lifetime hurting you. With everything all built up...you need to let it go or it will continue to tear you apart. Despite everything that has happened lately...you have a strong family to support you. You can do this...but it will take some time…"

"I don't know what to say to him…" Rory whispered.

"You'll know when you get there...and when you get a little lost...your Mom will be right beside you. That's why I think you should go together...you've always supported each other. And this is one of those times when you're going to need each other the most." She said with a smile.

"Like when you were a kid babe...I told you it was you and me against the world." Lorelai smiled sadly, "Except this time it's you and me against your Dad…"

Rory couldn't help but laugh a little, "Okay…"

"I think you've done a great job for today." Natalie said, "You talked about a lot...we can schedule another appointment if you would like. But for now...I think you need to spend some time with your family...and figure out when you can schedule a time to visit your Dad."

Rory nodded, "Thank you…"

Lorelai, Luke and Rory said their goodbyes and walked out to Rory's car in the parking lot. They stood outside it for a moment silently letting everything that had happened in their session wash over them. Luke had driven them all there, he held Rory's keys in his hand and was rolling them back and forth in his palm.

"Rory…" He whispered feeling his eyes prickle with tears.

She put her hand up to stop him, "I already know what you're going to say...don't. Yes I was upset at you back then...but not now. That was so long ago Luke. I forgave you for that…"

He sucked in his lower lip and then shook his head, "I did disappoint you back then...both of you. And I never wanted that...I didn't want to be that guy."

"Luke don't…" Lorelai whispered as she walked over and took his hand, "Rory's right...that was such a long time ago. And it's like you say all the time...we can't play the blame game here. Nothing is going to change the situation we are in...we need to let go of all that and just move on to our future."

Luke sighed and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, he pulled her close and kissed the side of her head, "I know. But I still hate that I hurt you both…"

Rory walked over to him and slipped her arm under his free arm and hugged him and her Mother close, "We've all done a lot of hurting each other over the years...it's okay."

Lorelai started to pull away, but only enough to give Rory's arm a squeeze, "How are you feeling? I know telling you about the letter was probably a bit of a shock…"

Rory frowned and pulled away from Luke, she started to kick at the ground below her, "I just...can't believe he would do that. I mean I can…" She said with a laugh, "He's a coward after all. It just...it scares me to think about what could have happened." She paused for a moment, "Are you going to tell Jack?"

"I don't think there's any reason too…" Luke whispered, "He wouldn't understand. And he's been doing so well...I don't want to scare him."

Rory nodded, "Probably smart…" She sighed and looked around sadly, "It's just weird...there was a time when even though Dad broke all those promises...I still thought he was the most amazing man in the world. I thought he could do no wrong...and now…" She frowned and looked down again, "Now I'd be happier if I never had to see him again…"

"How do you feel about what Natalie said? About us going to see him together?" Lorelai asked softly.

Rory shrugged, "It makes sense...and I wanted to go anyway. But it will be hard…"

"I'd go with you...except I don't think I'm allowed." Luke said with a scowl, "But I don't want you alone in the room with him…"

"We won't be." Rory said shaking her head, "Grandpa is going to go with us...and we'll have guards and one of our lawyers."

Luke nodded slowly, "Still gonna make me crazy thinking you're with him…"

Lorelai smiled and leaned into him again, "That's what makes you a good husband."

"And a good father…" Rory whispered, "And that is something Dad will never be. And never was…"

Luke smiled and kissed Lorelai's temple again, "Come on...let's go home."

Rory hesitated for a moment, "Actually...think you can drop me off somewhere? I'll take a cab home later."

Lorelai frowned, "Where?"

Rory shrugged, "I called Sherry last night...I'd really like to see Gigi. I can't imagine what she must be feeling...and she is my sister just as much as Jack and Elise are."

Lorelai smiled at her daughter, "You sure you're ready for that?"

Rory nodded slowly, "I think so...I won't stay too long. I just...I feel like it's the right thing to do."

Lorelai gave her a nod, "Okay...come on."

The three of them climbed into the car and drove off towards Sherry's house in Hartford. When they got there, Lorelai and Sherry spoke for a few moments before Gigi walked out and smiled shyly at them all.

"Hi…" Gigi whispered as she grabbed her Mom's hand.

Lorelai smiled and bent down to be at eye level with the young girl, "I never got a chance to thank you...you saved Jack."

Gigi nodded slowly, "My Mom told me he is back home with you...is he okay?"

"He's going to be fine." Lorelai said with watery eyes, "And we are incredibly grateful to you Gigi. We never would have found that house without you…"

Gigi smiled and turned towards Rory, "Are you going to stay for awhile?"

Rory smiled, "Yeah. Is that okay with you? Your mom said we can grab lunch...talk a little. But only if you are comfortable with that."

Gigi smiled softly, "I'd like that a lot…"

"Great." Rory said as she turned back to Lorelai and Luke, "I'll be home in a few hours."

Lorelai smiled and leaned forward to kiss Rory's cheek, "Okay. Call if you need anything."

"I will." Rory said softly as she gave Luke a wave, she watched them walk away and then turned back towards Gigi. "So...want to show me your room?"

Gigi nodded, "Can I Mom?"

Sherry smiled, "Sure. I'll order us some pizza...go on up. I'll give you some time alone."

Rory smiled at Sherry as if to say thank you and let Gigi lead her up to her bedroom on the second floor. She walked in and watched as a nervous Gigi climbed up onto her bed and pulled at a pillow to hold close.

Rory sighed and walked towards her, "Mind if I sit?" Gigi just shrugged so Rory sat down beside her and tried to think of what to say, "I'm...I'm sorry I haven't seen you in awhile. I should've tried harder to visit...or even to call."

Gig frowned, "I thought you were mad at me...like you were mad at Dad."

Rory's heart ached and she shook her head slowly, "Oh Gigi no...I wasn't mad at you. I was just...really confused. Dad really hurt me...and I was mad at him. And I took that out on you...because I guess seeing you reminded me of him. But I was wrong...you are my sister. And I want to be a part of your life…"

Gigi sniffled slightly, "I hated going to see him in jail with Grandma...all he did was talk about how great things would be when he got out. But I didn't really believe him...he promised to take me up to that house he took your brother too. He said we could stay for as long as we wanted just us…" She smiled sadly, "But that will never happen now...Mom doesn't want me to see him at all."

Rory was quiet for a moment, "Gigi...I'm so sorry. This affects you just as much as it does me. He was your Dad…"

"He was your Dad too…" Gigi whispered, "Even though you never really lived with him...I know he wasn't always there for you."

"No...he wasn't." Rory said with a frown, "But...that doesn't matter now. I know...I know that he did love you Gigi…"

"Then why did he do something he knew was wrong? If he loved me he would want to be with me...he'd want to be able to see me. But now he can't. He was selfish and mean. And now I don't have a Dad…" Gigi said as she started to cry.

Rory sighed and scooted closer to her, she wrapped an arm around the young girl's shoulder and held her close, "No...but you have a Mom who loves you very much. And a sister...I know I was around before but I will be now. I promise Gigi...anytime you need me you can call me. I'm going to be moving back here...probably in Hartford in fact. I'd love to see you as much as I can."

"Really?" Gigi asked as she pulled away, "We can hang out?"

"Anytime." Rory said with a smile, "You can even come to Stars hollow and hang out with everyone there. I'm sure you'd like Jack and Elise. And my sister April is great too...and Jess. My Mom adores you and Luke is great too. It would be fun…"

"Like be a part of your family?" She whispered.

Rory nodded slowly, "You are a part of our family Gigi…"

Gigi leaned forward and hugged Rory tightly. She didn't say a word, just held her close and Rory couldn't help but smile as she held her back. As confused as she was, this was right. Gigi was her sister no matter what. And she wasn't going to let Christopher ruin another life if she had any say in it…

* * *

Back in the car Luke had pulled into a small sandwich shop parking lot and looked over at his wife. She turned and gave him a questioning look, he smiled at her and shrugged.

"I just want to spend some time with my wife…" He whispered, "Is that okay?"

She smiled softly at him and reached her hand out to stroke his face, "You never have to ask babe"

He leaned into her hand and kissed her palm, "It's a nice day...you wanna grab some sandwiches and head down to the pier? Sit on the boat? Jess said we could take our time…"

She smiled at him, "That sounds nice…"

Luke nodded, got out of the car and opened her door for her. They went into the shop, ordered their food to go and then got back in the car to head to the pier. Luke parked the car and grabbed the sandwiches before they made their way down the dock towards the boat. Lorelai climbed up first and took the bags from him so he could hop in. Luke went below to grab plates and Lorelai stood at the front of the boat overlooking the calm ocean.

She felt Luke's hand on her back and smiled when he pressed a kiss to her neck, "You okay?"

She turned towards him and smiled, "I'm good…"

He gave her a nod and then sat down on the bench and patted the spot beside him, "How do you think it will go with Rory and Gigi?"

Lorelai sighed and reached for the bag of food, she handed Luke his sandwich and grabbed her own. "I'm sure it will be a little hard at first...but Gigi is her sister. She's only a kid...she doesn't understand all of this. I mean Christopher was in her life everyday for five years...and then suddenly he was gone. I can't imagine that can be easy…"

"No. I guess I never really thought about it…" He said as he went to take a bite, he swallowed and shrugged, "She didn't deserve any of that…"

Lorelai shook her head, "No she didn't...maybe I should have tried harder to make Rory talk to her. To keep communication open with Sherry and Francine...but I felt so awkward."

"All we can do is try and change it now…" Luke whispered to her.

She gave him a smile and nodded, "I know…"

They sat in silence for a while as they both ate and thought about everything that had happened not just in the last few weeks but since they had met each other. When they were done, Lorelai piled the plates up and set them aside. She scooted closer to Luke and leaned against the back of the bench seat, she rested against his chest and held his hands her stomach.

She glanced up slowly and saw Luke biting his lip, a sign that he was thinking hard about something, "Whatcha thinkin?"

Luke sighed and looked down at her, "Do you remember when you had Jack? You had such a hard labor...and they wouldn't even let you hold him at first. I remember feeling so excited that I had a son...and then all of a sudden they were telling me you may not make it...it didn't make sense to me."

She sighed and sat up slowly, this was something they didn't often speak about, "Luke…"

"They took you in for surgery…" He whispered as he continued to look out at the ocean, unable to meet her gaze, "And I was just standing there in shock...I was alone at the time because your parents and Rory were still on their way to the hospital. And then a nurse came out and handed me Jack...and he was so tiny…" His voice cracked slightly, "And all I could think was...how would I do it alone if you left me?"

"Luke…" She whispered as she scooted even closer to him, "Honey…"

"I was so scared…" He whispered, "And I kept looking at Jack...and he looked like you. And I just kept saying that you had to be fine...that you would be fine. But they told me to prepare for the worst…" He shook his head and looked down as he grabbed her hands, "But I refused to believe it. I knew you were stronger than that...I knew you wouldn't give up." He smiled softly and looked up at her, "And you didn't…"

She stared at him for a moment and got lost in the deep blue of his eyes, "Had to see my son...and you with him. I wasn't about to leave before I saw that…"

He smiled, "I remember the Doctors were so surprised when you woke up so quickly. They said they weren't expecting that...but I told them you would be okay. I told them...that you would demand to see your son as soon as your eyes opened."

"And I did…" Lorelai said with a giggle, "And they all just stared at me like I was crazy…"

"But then they brought him to you…" Luke whispered, "And I remember you didn't even cry...you just held him and stared at him in awe. And it was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen…"

"Luke…" She whispered softly, "Why are you thinking about all this?"

He sighed, "I don't know…it's just been on my mind. I didn't think I could ever be as scared as I was that day…"

She frowned, "You were terrified when you found out I was pregnant with Elise…""

Luke scoffed, "Of course I was. As much as I loved Jack...I couldn't imagine going through all that again. I was worried…"

"They told me I should consider an abortion…" Lorelai whispered, "But I never could have done that...despite the risk I knew that that little girl was meant to be a part of our life. Our family…"

"You proved to us all how strong you are once again…" Luke whispered, "You never let us see you sweat...you took care of yourself through the whole pregnancy. And when you went into labor you were focussed and determined to see our baby girl. And it wasn't easy...but you brought her into this world. And I fell in love with you all over again…"

She was quiet for a moment before she leaned close to him, "We have a good life Luke…"

He rested his head against hers and nodded, "We do…"

"Why do I sense a but coming?" She said with a laugh, "You're holding something back from me...I can feel it.

"No buts…" Luke whispered as he pulled away again and grasped her hand, "It just hurts...all of it. Thinking about what happened to Jack...and to you. About how I let us fall apart all those years ago...it all still hurts. It hurts knowing that I did disappoint you-"

"Luke you heard what Rory said…" She whispered sadly.

"I know…" He said with a nod, "We need to put it behind us...and I have in some ways...but…"

"There's the but…" She joked as she poked his side, "But what?"

"But…" He said with a shrug, "I never want you to be in pain...or Rory. Or any of our kids...and it scares me that I can't keep things from happening. I know it's all a part of life...but it still scares me."

"I know...it scares me too." Lorelai said as she squeezed his hand tightly, "But we can't live in fear Luke...all we can do is give our family the best possible life. Tell them how much we love them everyday...make sure they have every opportunity available to them. Watch them learn and grow...we can't predict the future. We can't keep them from all the bad things in the world...but we can give them a safe place to call home."

He nodded slowly and smiled at her, "Can I ask you a really stupid question?"

"No such thing as a stupid question...unless you're Kirk." She said with a smirk, she smiled when he laughed.

He took a deep breath, "If we had to do it all over again...would you still pick me?"

She frowned at him for a moment, "What?"

"I mean…" He swallowed hard, "After all this time...do you still choose me? You still want me?"

She sighed sadly and scooted closer to him until she was sitting in his lap, "Luke...I will always want you. There was never any other choice but you. You are the only man for me…"

He closed his eyes and rested his head against hers, "Sometimes it overwhelms me how much I love you...even after all this time. It's scary to need someone so much…"

"I know what you mean…" She whispered, "But I do need you Luke. I'll always need you…"

He swallowed hard and pulled away to look at her, "I love you Lorelai Gilmore…"

"Lorelai Gilmore Danes…" She whispered with a smile, "Don't forget the last part…"

He smiled and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, "Sorry...I love you Lorelai Gilmore Danes."

She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck before pressing a gentle kiss to his lips, "I love you too Luke Danes...I can't remember a time when I didn't love you."

Luke breathed her in and held her close as he leaned into her kiss, "I'm taking you down below…"

Lorelai giggled slightly, "Make love to me…"

Luke smiled, lifted her up and walked them down the stairs and onto the bed below deck. He was still scared and still confused about a lot of things. But he knew that as long as Lorelai was by his side...he could face it all.

* * *

A few hours later, Lorelai and Luke pulled into the driveway and saw Jess and April playing with Jack and Elise in the front yard.

"Mommy!" Jack yelled as he ran to her excitedly.

Lorelai smiled, scooped him up and held him close, "Hi handsome boy. Did you have a good day?"

"Yeah! Jess and I did some fishing and April helped me with all my letters. I can spell my name now!" He said excitedly.

"You can?" Lorelai asked as Luke walked up behind her, "How?"

"My name is Jack Danes. Jack is spelled J-A-C-K and Danes is spelled D-A-N-E-S! See? I did it!" He said happily.

"That's awesome bud." Luke whispered as he ruffled his hair, "I'm proud of you." Elise had walked over slowly and Luke smiled and scooped her up, "What about you little girl? You learn any new words today?"

"Coffee!" Elise said happily.

Lorelai started to laugh as Luke groaned, "She must be more Gilmore than Danes…"

Luke glanced back at his daughter and nephew, "Which one of you fools taught her that?"

Jess laughed, "I asked April if she wanted any coffee and she just started saying it over and over again."

"Coffee! Coffee! Coffee!" Elise said as she clapped her hands.

"Wow…" Lorelai said staring at her daughter, "It's like looking into a mirror…"

"That's what I'm afraid of…" Luke said with a laugh, "This was exactly what you looked like tearing into my Diner that first day…"

"Ah yes...the day that changed your life forever." Lorelai said with a dramatic sigh, "The best day in your life…"

Luke rolled his eyes playfully, "Uh huh…"

"Where's Rory?" Jack asked with a frown as he looked behind them.

"She went to visit her sister Gigi...she should be home soon." Lorelai said with a smile.

April stood up and pointed to them, "That must be her now…"

They all turned and watched the cab pull up in front of the house. Rory paid the driver and walked over to them all with a small smile on her face.

"Hey…" She whispered as she walked up to her Mom, "You just getting home too?"

"We had lunch on the boat." Lorelai said with a shrug.

Rory smiled, "That's nice…"

"How did it go?" Luke asked as he lifted his arm to squeeze her shoulder affectionately.

Rory smiled and tugged at a lock of Elise's hair, "It was...good. Hard but good...Gigi's a great kid. And we talked about a lot of things...I told her I was going to be around more and that I'd like to spend more time with her if she wanted that."

"That's good hon…" Lorelai said softly, "She is welcome here anytime…"

"I told her that too…" Rory said softly, "She seemed happy about that…"

"Long day…" Lorelai whispered softly, "You okay?"

Rory sighed, "No...but I will be eventually. We all will...right?"

"Right…" Luke whispered as he put an arm around her shoulder, "Come on...I think I have some ingredients for those triple chocolate brownies you love. That will cheer you up…"

Rory smiled and let him lead her towards the door, "I was right about you all those years ago…"

He paused for a moment and looked down at her, "What do you mean?"

"I knew you'd always take care of us…" She said with sparkling eyes, "And you have…"

"And I always will…" Luke whispered in a raw voice, "I promise to never let you down again."

"I know you won't." Rory whispered back, "I know you Luke...and I'm damn glad I do."

"Rory said I bad word!" Jack said from his Mother's arm as they walked behind them.

"She did!" Lorelai said accusingly, "Bad Rory! Maybe you should have a time out!"

"Or maybe I can just have her brownie…" Jack said with an evil smirk, "That would be a real punishment…"

Everyone laughed and Luke shrugged, "I think we can let this one slide buddy...you wanna help me bake?"

"Yes sir!" Jack said with a salute, "Can I lick the spoon?"

"Of course bud." Luke said with a smile as he winked at his wife.

"Life is pretty good when you get to lick the spoon…" Jack said as he jumped down from Lorelai's arms, he turned slowly and smiled at his family, "Actually...life is pretty good in general. Don't you think?"

"I think you're right about that bud…" Lorelai whispered, "Life is really good…especially our life."

They all stared at Jack for a moment before they went inside and wondered how he could possibly still be so loving and open after everything he had been through. And in that moment they knew that if he was able to find the good in the world, so could they. Life was good. And they weren't going to let Christopher or anyone else make them think otherwise.

* * *

 **Hope you liked it! :) Up next - Lorelai and Rory will face Chris for the first time since he took Jack.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Thanks for the feedback! I will try and update soon :)**

* * *

Luke woke with a jolt, his heart was racing and he was sweating from head to toe. He groaned and looked over to see that Lorelai was still fast asleep beside him. He quietly pulled himself out of bed and walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower. He quickly stripped down, climbed in and stood under the scalding hot water and tried to relax.

For the last three days he had been having dreams where he faced Christopher again. In each dream no one was there to stop him when he wrapped his hands around his neck. He got pleasure out of watching the panic on Christopher's face, the way it turned white and then blue. And he loved the moment when he knew that the life had left his body for good. He huffed and slammed the tiled wall behind him to try and get the image from his mind.

He heard the bathroom door creak open and he knew who it was, "Luke...it's 4:30 in the morning. You aren't going work are you?"

Luke didn't answer, he rinsed his body and turned off the water. He heard Lorelai rummaging around for a towel, she held it out to him as he opened the curtain. She was sitting up on the sink watching him carefully as he ran the towel through his hair and then wrapped it around his waist. He sighed as he climbed out of the shower and just stood in front of her.

She frowned softly and touched his thigh with her toes gently, "Talk to me…"

He cocked his head back towards the bedroom and she followed him. She sat on the window seat overlooking the lake and waited as he put on a pair of boxers and a t-shirt. He plopped down beside her and put a hand on her upper thigh where he began to trace patterns.

"Luke…" She whispered as she put her hand over his, "I know you are concerned about Rory and I seeing him today...but we're going to be fine. I promise."

Luke nodded slowly, "I know...I know you will. But...I keep having these dreams."

She scooted closer to him and pulled her legs up under her, "Dreams? About what? Something happening to me and Rory?"

He shook his head, "No...about me killing him. About that night we found Jack...in the dreams no one is around to stop me. And I just wrap my hands around his neck...and he's just staring up at me in total panic. And I can't stop...and then he's just gone...and I'm standing out in the woods with his dead body."

Lorelai's eyes were wide as she stared at him in total shock, "Luke…"

"It's scaring me." Luke whispered as he pulled his hand away from her and put his head in his hands, "I can usually control myself...but when it comes to him I can't Lorelai. I can't. I fucking hate him."

"I know…" She whispered as she leaned into him, "But Luke-"

"Even before all of this crap...I'm not the kind of guy that gets into fist fights Lorelai. But I got such satisfaction from hitting that bastard. And quite honestly I'd like to do it again…" He said looking back at her, "What he did...to you to Jack...to all of us. It makes me sick and I want him to pay for it...and I can't control that rage…"

Lorelai swallowed hard and placed a hand on his cheek, "Look at me…"

It took him a moment, but he finally turned his face to look at her, "Lorelai…"

"I love you. You are so much more than my husband...you are my best friend and partner. I trust you with my life...with our family. We have been through so much together...even before we became an us." She held his face in her hands to make sure he stared at her, "You are feeling this way because you are angry...and I understand that. But I know you Luke...I know you. And you are not that man...you are not violent or aggressive. You are good...and kind. This isn't you...it's your pain...and you have to find a way deal with it or it's going to eat you alive."

He sighed and leaned forward to rest his head against her chest, "I don't want to be that guy...the violent one. That's what's scaring me…"

She ran her hands through his damp hair and held him close, "I know. I can see it...but Luke, Chris is in jail. He's not getting out again...We are going to make sure of that. And you can't let him get to you like this. We have such a good life...don't let him ruin anymore of it."

Luke closed his eyes and breathed her in, "I just...I wanted him to feel the pain that we felt."

"I know…" She whispered as she leaned down to kiss his head, "I get it. But we need you here Luke...I need you."

"I don't know what to do…" Luke whispered softly, "What do I do?"

"We need to keep going to counseling...I'll go with you or you can go alone. I'll do whatever you need me to do Luke. You aren't alone in this. And I love you so much for wanting to protect us...for defending us. But we need to find a way through this and we will." She said as she continued to massage his scalp.

"Lorelai?" He whispered softly.

"Yes?" She whispered back.

He turned so he was lying on his back and he was staring up at her as he rested his head in her lap, "I love you…."

She smiled, sat him up and began to walk back to the bed, "I love you too. Come back to bed…"

"Lorelai I'm so tired…" He whispered softly.

She nodded and pulled the blankets down, "I know...I just want to lie with you for awhile. Just be us...you and me."

He smiled as she climbed into the bed and patted the space beside her, he climbed in and lay down before pulling her up against him. She breathed him in, kissed his chest, his neck and finally his lips and whispered words of love and encouragement. Luke relaxed and let himself fall asleep, and for the first time in days he didn't have any nightmares.

* * *

Later that afternoon, the Danes family packed up and drove to Richard and Emily's house in Hartford. It was a very warm September day and Luke was going to spend the day around the pool with the kids and Emily while Lorelai, Rory and Richard visited the prison. They unpacked the car and headed toward the backyard where Jack was excited to go swimming.

"You call us as soon as you are finished." Emily said with a stern look as she stared at her husband and daughter, "And you don't let that snake get to you...do you hear hear me? Whatever he has to say to you goes in one ear and out the other...he's worthless."

Lorelai smiled and leaned forward to hug her Mom, "We're going to be just fine. Try and enjoy the day with the kids...we'll be back before you know it."

Emily nodded slowly, "Good. Good. I'm going to get snacks for the kids because if I stay around here before you leave I'll come up with a million excuses for you to stay."

Lorelai smiled and watched her walk away before she felt a hand on her lower back, she turned and saw Luke staring at her with a nervous smile, "Hey…" He whispered.

She smiled and leaned up to caress his face gently, "Hey...you okay?"

He frowned slightly and leaned into her touch, "Sad…"

She nodded slowly and leaned forward to kiss his lip, "I'll be back soon. And we'll be one step closer to putting this all behind us."

He nodded and pulled her by her hips so she was up against his body, "Last time you went to see him in prison...I thought I'd die. And now both of my Gilmore Girls are going...and I feel even more scared."

She sighed and rested her forehead against his, "We need to do this Luke…"

"I know." He said as he pulled away to look at her face, "Just...be safe. Okay? And come home...right away."

She smiled and gave him a quick nod, "You know last time we went through this...I came home and you proposed."

Luke chuckled a little, "You asking me to propose again?"

She smiled and shook her head, "No...but in case you were wondering the answer would be the same as it was then."

"Good. That's good…" Luke whispered as he leaned forward to kiss her.

She kissed him softly and gave him a reassuring smile, "I love you."

He took a deep breath and nodded his head slowly, "I love you too."

She squeezed his hand, walked over to Elise, April and Jack and said her goodbyes. Then she took Rory's hand and they followed Richard back to the front of the house. They climbed into his car and drove off towards the prison. The ride was mostly a silent one, Richard occasionally asked questions about anything that didn't have to do with Christopher just to pass the time.

When they got there, Rory and Lorelai held hands as they walked in and waited patiently. They went through the necessary procedures to be checked in were given instructions not to touch the inmate and then lead to a room. Richard and their lawyer walked in first and then Rory and Lorelai followed and sat down quietly. The room was empty still, Christopher wasn't there yet.

Rory's hand started to shake, Lorelai reached under the table and took both hands in one of hers and gave her a smile. Her daughter seemed to relax, but only until the buzzer sounded and Christopher was led into the room by two guards. He had his orange jump suit on, his hair was long and tangled, he had a beard and large bags under his eyes. He didn't seem to be able to actually look at them as he was lead to his seat, he stared only at the table never daring to lift his head.

They were silent for a moment, no one knew what to say or who should go first. Lorelai glanced at Rory and saw the pain and shock etched on her face and it broke her heart. She knew in this moment she needed to be the strong one. She gave Rory's hand a squeeze and then opened her mouth to speak but suddenly Christopher's voice had filled the room.

"I am so sorry." He said quickly, "I don't even know how it happened...it was so fast. One minute I was waking up in a hotel room after a night of drinking...and then I was standing outside the park. I honestly had no intention of taking him. I don't know what came over me! That isn't me. I know what I did was wrong. Is he okay?"

Rory was breathing fast and Lorelai opened her mouth to speak again but this time her daughter's voice interrupted her, "He's fine. He's amazing. He's forgiven you which I can't understand because I will never forgive you for this. I never forgave you for what you did to Mom...but this is so different. And knowing what you were planning on doing...leaving him there to die alone! How could you do that to a little kid?"

"Rory…" Chris whispered in a raw voice, "I panicked. I never meant for any of this to happen. It was all such a big mistake and you have no idea how badly I wish I could take it back."

"But you can't. You can't take any of it back. This is the worst thing you have ever done. You took my brother...and you were willing to let him die rather than go to jail...you're sick." Rory whispered angrily, "You're demented."

"I know…" Chris whispered as he lifted his hands to rest his head in his hands, "My mind is all messed up. God I'm such a fuck up. And you deserved such a better father Rory...you have no idea how badly I wish I was different."

"I do have a better father." Rory said calmly, "I have Luke. He's my father."

Lorelai tensed and squeezed Rory's hand, she watched as Christopher lifted his head to stare at them. She expected to see anger, the same rage she had seen the night he had attacked her. Luke seemed to be the spark that ignited that flame in him...but instead of anger she saw a calmness in his eyes.

"You're right. He is...he's been there when I wasn't. And as much as I hate him...I'm grateful that you have him. That you both have him…" Chris whispered as he turned slowly towards Lorelai.

Rory seemed just as shocked as Lorelai was, "What?"

"I thought money would fix everything...I thought I could come in and out when I wanted. I thought you'd always be there waiting for me to grow up enough to be the father and partner you guys needed. But I was wrong...and in that time you met Luke. And he took care of you both. It used to make me jealous...but I realize that it's my own fault for walking away so many times…" He said with a shrug.

Rory glanced over at her Mom and back at her father, "I don't understand what you're saying…"

Chris sighed and leaned back in his chair, "Rory I could apologize until I was blue in the face for every little thing I have ever done to you both. But it won't matter...it won't change anything. And I'm tired...I'm so tired of being angry all the time. I'm tired of hiding and so I'm just letting go...letting all the anger go. You don't need me...neither of you do. You have Luke...and he's a better man than I will ever be. I want you both to be happy."

There was silence for a moment and then suddenly Rory started to cry, "Why wasn't I ever good enough for you?" Lorelai scooted her chair closer to her daughter and rubbed her back as Rory broke down in front of them both, "I just...I wanted you to be there when you said you would be. I wanted you to want to be my Dad but you didn't want me. You didn't want to be around. You didn't want to know me. Why? What did I do wrong?"

Chris shook his head and lifted a hand to wipe his tears away, "You didn't do anything Rory...I just wasn't ready to be a father…"

"But when Gigi came into the picture you were there for her…" Rory whispered, "What was different then?"

He shrugged, "I was older...and I saw what I had missed with you."

"Then why didn't you try harder at that point to be in my life too?" She asked angrily.

"Because we both know by then you didn't need me anymore Rory. And I couldn't make up for all the years I had missed...I thought I could but I couldn't." He said sadly, "And I'm sorry for that...because you are an amazing young woman and I should have been around more."

Rory sniffled softly and looked up at him, "Sherry won't let Gigi see you…"

Chris swallowed hard, "I know...she came by last week and told me. I'm not surprised...and I don't blame her really."

"She's my sister. And I am going to be there for her…" Rory whispered, "But I won't mention you unless she asks. Because from now on...you don't exist to me."

Chris's eyes stung with tears and he nodded, "Rory…"

"All I ever wanted was for you to show you cared...to just be my Dad. That's all...I didn't need much." She said with a shrug, "But now...now I don't need you at all. I'll never need you or want you in my life because Mom gave me everything I ever needed." Rory turned towards her Mom and gave her a watery smile, "I should have realized back then she was more than enough...I never needed you Dad."

Chris took his palm and rubbed his eyes hard, "I'm sorry Rory...I'm so sorry…"

Rory turned back to him and sighed, "I think I'm done here." She turned back to her Mom, "I'll meet you outside?"

Lorelai nodded slowly, "Sure hon. Go on...I'll just be a minute."

Rory turned back to her father and they stared at each other for a moment before she stood up slowly and walked out of the room. Richard gave his daughter a look and she only smiled at him to let him know she was okay and he could go. He followed Rory out to the hallway and Lorelai's lawyer stayed with her.

Lorelai turned back to Chris who had his head low and was crying softly, "Lor…"

"You were willing to leave my five year old son to die all alone…" She whispered, "You were that mad at me that you could kill a little boy?"

Chris groaned and lifted his head to look at her, "It wasn't that simple...I had no plan really. Once we got to the house I panicked...and he was so kind and I knew there was no way to get out of it without one of us getting hurt."

"You could have brought him home." Lorelai said leaning against the table.

"But I would have gone to jail and I couldn't handle that…" Chris said shaking his head, "You don't know what's it's like in here Lorelai! Being stuck in here for six years messed with me.'

She rolled her eyes, "It was your fault you came here in the first place. And yes you would have gone back to jail but you broke the law Chris! You kidnapped my son! Do you not get that? Do you not see how terrible that is? Jack was innocent in all of this. If you were still mad at me...you should have come after me. Hurt me...not him. Not my son!"

"I didn't want you hurt you again…" Chris said shaking his head.

"What do you call taking my son? Chris that was the one thing that would hurt me the most and you know that. You knew that the minute I found out you had taken him that my world came crashing down. I felt like you had ripped out my soul...thinking that you had him out there doing God knows what was terrifying. The entire time you had him was like going through the world in slow motion...I couldn't breath. You know me Chris...you knew that that would hurt more than anything else. You could have beaten me to death and that would have hurt less…" She whispered with tears in her eyes.

Chris hung his head in shame, "I didn't lay a hand on him…"

"I know that. But you still took him...and you were willing to let him die to escape prison. Once again you proved that you are only out to save yourself. You are a coward and pathetic man." She said slowly, "But you will never again hurt me or my family…"

"Luke should have killed me when he had the chance…" Chris said lifting his head to look at her, "God I wish he had...why didn't he?"

Lorelai smiled at him, "Because he's a good man. Because he could never take the life of another person no matter how badly he hates you. And because he knows that you want that...that you want an easy out. And for once in your life...you aren't going to get that easy out Chris. You are going to sit here and thinking about this for the rest of your miserable life and I'm going to make sure of that."

Chris whimpered and shook his head, "Lor please…"

"Do you know what Jack said to me and Luke? My precious son that you stole? He said he felt sorry for you...that you just wanted someone to love you. He said he forgave you because he knew you were scared...and that you just needed someone to pay attention to you." She sniffled softly, "But the thing is Chris...Rory and I did love you. For years we were there...and even if you and I weren't together I was there...I would have done anything for you and to ensure your relationship with Rory. You had those opportunities Chris...and you let them all slip away. That's on you...and I won't feel blame for this anymore. I know I did the best I could for our daughter and that I never kept her from you. We would have welcomed you with open arms...you chose to stay away. So you had that opportunity to be loved…" She shrugged, "I will not let you ruin my life anymore...I will not let you scare me. I will not let you scare my children or my husband. I will erase you from my memory for this moment forward. Because you were the one that made those choices. Not me…"

"Lorelai please…" He whispered as he scooted closer to her.

She shook her head and stood up, "You made your bed Chris...and now you have to lie in it. And I feel sorry for you...you had it all...but you let it all come crashing down. You have no one to blame but yourself. Goodbye Christopher…"

She heard him call out to her again but she didn't turn back. She walked straight out to the hallway and as soon as the door closed behind her, she felt Rory launch herself into her arms. Lorelai sighed and held her close as she cried, "Mom…"

"It's okay...it's over now." Lorelai said rubbing her back, "We both said what we needed to say. We can let go now, right?"

Rory pulled away and stared at her, "I feel this overwhelming sense of peace...but sadness too."

Lorelai nodded and wiped at her daughter's tears, "I know hon...I know."

Rory sighed and leaned back into her, "I never want to see him again…"

"And you don't have too…" Lorelai whispered softly, "It's over…"

Rory sighed and looked down, "Mom?" Lorelai looked at her questioningly, "I just...I can't help but think if you had never had me...you would never have had to feel this pain."

Lorelai pulled her daughter close again and spoke softly to her, "I don't ever want you to say something like that again Rory. You are the best thing that ever happened to me…"

"But if you didn't have me...you'd never have to see Dad again. For all those years you had to see him time and time again because of me. And I'm sorry…" Rory whispered softly.

Lorelai glanced over at her father who gave her an understanding smile, he walked with their lawyer down the hallway to give them some space. Lorelai took Rory's hand and lead her over to the benches on the other side of the wall. She sat down, turned her body towards Rory's and tried to think of how to say what she needed to say.

"Rory...never in my wildest dreams did I expect to get pregnant at 16. And I will admit to you that there was a moment when I was pregnant...when I did consider giving you away." Rory grimaced slightly but Lorelai grabbed her hands and held them tightly, "But then I felt you kick for the first time...and as scared as I was...I knew that this was meant to be. That you were meant to come into my life and save me. And you did kid...I was so lost before you. My relationship with my parents was terrible...I hated myself. I was drinking and partying all the time because I was searching for something...anything to make me feel whole. And when those Doctors handed you to me for the first time...I knew I had finally found it."

Rory started to cry harder, "Mom…"

Lorelai shook her head and pressed on, "You gave my life meaning Rory. You gave me a purpose which I desperately needed. I can't even imagine where I would have ended up if I had never had you…"

Rory shook her head, "You would have found a way to do something great…"

Lorelai smiled sadly, "You didn't know me back then kid...I was a mess. I needed you to give me motivation. I needed you to show me what the world had to offer. And you did...and it wasn't always easy but it was so worth it." She shrugged and gave her hands a squeeze, "If I had never had you...I never would have gone to Stars Hollow. I never would have met Mia and started working at the Inn or become friends with Sookie and create our dream of opening an Inn. I never would have met all those crazy people in that town." She felt her eyes well up with tears, "And I never would have met Luke...or married him or had Jack and Elise or known April…" She wiped at her tears quickly and smiled softly, "And despite all the pain we have felt recently...I would do it all again because I have the most beautiful family. I have the one thing I always wanted...and your father is never going to be able to take that away from us. Okay? He tried more than once...and he has failed every time. Because we are stronger than he realizes...we can get through anything babe. You and me against the world, remember? We are going to get past this. We are going to keep living...and we are going to have the best life possible because we deserve too."

"Mom…" Rory whispered as she leaned into her, "I love you…"

Lorelai smiled and wrapped a hand in her hair and kissed the top of her head, "I love you too Rory. I don't ever want to hear you question whether or not I should have had you. My answer will always be yes…"

Rory nodded against her chest and then pulled away, "Can we go home now?"

Lorelai wiped her tears away and nodded, "Sure. Come on...there's a lot of people waiting to see us."

Rory stood up and let her mother wrap an arm around her shoulders. They walked together out to the lobby where Richard was waiting for the. He gave them both a smile and wrapped his arm around Lorelai's other side as they walked back to the car.

* * *

When they got back to the house, they walked straight to the backyard and smiled when they saw April in the pool with Jack. Luke stood up and handed Elise to Emily before he stood up to greet them. He didn't say anything at first, just waited. And then Rory's arms were around his neck and she held him close.

Luke wrapped his own arms around her waist and looked back at his wife who just stared back a thim. "Rory?" He whispered.

Rory pulled away and kissed his cheek, "Love you Luke."

He smiled back and gave her hand a squeeze, "I love you too kid…"

She nodded slowly and then looked back at her Mom before stepping past Luke and sitting at the pools edge to talk to April and Jack. Richard gave his daughter's shoulder a squeeze and walked over to his wife and sat down before he took Elise into his arms. Luke glanced back at his wife, she didn't say anything, only held her hand out to him hopefully.

He took it in his and let her walk them back towards the house. He didn't ask where they were going, he felt like he had a pretty good idea of her destination. They climbed the stairs in silence and Lorelai led him to her old bedroom. She closed the door behind her and then sat down on her bed and waited for him to join her.

He sat down silently and squeezed her hand, "How did it go?"

She was quiet for a moment and then began to trace the lines on his hand slowly, "It went...as well as expected I guess. I'm proud of Rory...she was strong. She said what she needed to say…"

Luke nodded slowly before whispering, "And you?"

She smiled and lifted her head, "I think I said it all...and I think he heard me even if he didn't want to hear it."

"How did he seem?" Luke asked curiously, "Not that I really care...but did he yell?"

Lorelai shook her head, "No. He cried...apologized. Said he never meant for it to happen...that hadn't meant to take him."

Luke scoffed, "You're kidding me...he cried?"

Lorelai ignored his comment and kept talking, "He acknowledged that he had screwed up...not just with taking Jack but for always disappointing Rory. He said he was glad that we had you...then and now. That you were a better man…"

"Lorelai…" He whispered scooting closer to her.

"He said he was letting it all go...all of the anger. I told him it was his fault...that I don't feel guilty anymore." She whispered.

"And you shouldn't." Luke whispered, "He made his choices Lorelai…"

She lifted her head to look at him and nodded with tears in her eyes, "I think I finally get that now. I mean…" She sniffled softly and looked out at the balcony, "We were kids back then...and I was so desperate to feel anything. And so I latched onto him...and then I got pregnant and I honestly thought my life was over. But I was so wrong...my life began when I had Rory. And from that moment on him and I started to grow apart...and in some ways that made me sad. But it wasn't because I wanted him...it was because I wanted Rory to have her father. I wanted her to have the family I never had." She sniffled softly, "I love my parents...I do. But when I was a kid...I always felt so damn unsure. And I wanted more for her...and that's why I always let him back in...I thought at some point he'd get it together and be the father that she needed. But I know now that he never could have been that man…"

Luke wiped at her tears, "Lorelai…"

"I gave him chance after chance...and he blew them all." She swallowed hard, "And when you and I broke up…" She sighed and shook her head, "I went to him because it was easy...I knew it was wrong. He knew it was wrong...I never should have done it. But I've forgiven myself for that only because you have forgiven me…"

"I do forgive you...I forgave you years ago." He said squeezing her hands, "He knew you weren't in any place to be with him…"

She nodded slowly, "Chris likes to take the easy way out...he always did. But for once in his life he's not going to get what he wants. Life is hard...it's so damn hard sometimes. And he's never had to face it head on. But now he will…"

"Lorelai…" He whispered again as he leaned towards her, "Tell me what to do to make you feel better…"

She smiled at him and pulled away so she could see him, "Luke...you don't need to do anything. I'm...I'm at peace with it in someway. I mean…" She shrugged, "It still breaks my heart that Jack had to go through all of this. But I know it's not my fault...I know I did the best I could with the situation I was given all those years ago. I always left a space open for Chris to come see Rory...I didn't push him away. He had the opportunity to have a family...to have love that he so craved. And he turned away from it...it's not my fault. I couldn't change any of it…"

He leaned forward and kissed her forehead, "Lorelai…"

"Rory said she felt like if she had never been born...if I had never gotten pregnant then I never would have felt all this pain." She shook her head slowly, "But she's wrong...I would still be in pain if I had never had her. I was so alone then...so confused. And she gave me a reason to live...she gave me purpose. And she led me to you…"

Luke squeezed her hand, "She's a great kid…"

"She is the greatest thing I have ever done. Because without her...I wouldn't have the family I have now. And that is not a life I ever want to know or live in. This is where I belong...this was all supposed to happen in this way. As scary as it has been...it was part of our plan." She glanced out at the balcony, "This was all part of my plan…"

Luke followed her gaze, he knew that the balcony was where Rory had been conceived, "Lorelai…"

"So in some ways...what people see as my biggest mistake was my biggest triumphant. Getting pregnant at 16 probably saved my life." She said with a shrug, "It did save my life...and it gave me a life I never thought was possible…" She turned back to him and smiled, "When I was 16 I thought I loved Christopher...I really did. But that wasn't love Luke...that was fear and desperation. That was an escape…" She pulled his hands up and placed them against her heart, "But what I feel for you is so much stronger than love...I can't put it into words. And I need you to know that he was never really a threat to us...or to you. He could never give me what you do…"

Luke felt tears burning in his eyes, "Lorelai…"

"No one will ever understand me the way you do. No one will make me feel loved or safe like you do...and I can't ever imagine a world without you. I don't want to imagine a world without you." She said leaning forward to kiss his lips, "Christopher is my past...you are my future. My present...my everything. And I am so damn thankful that I met you...and that you fell in love with me. Because I never want to be without you…"

"Lorelai…" He tried again.

"I know you feel angry...and scared. I get it...you know I do. But babe we gotta put this behind us. We need to start living again...not just existing." She pressed her forehead against his and breathed him in, "I choose you Luke. I will always choose you...I choose our life together...the good and the bad times. This is all I need…"

Luke let out a small laugh, "I don't know what to say to all that…"

She smiled at him and pulled away to wipe at his tears and then her own, "You don't have to say anything. I just...I needed to say all that. Seeing Chris today...it was overwhelming. But it was what I needed to finally start to heal a little. We still have things we will have to work on...but we can do this. I know we can…"

Luke stared at her for a moment and then smiled before whispering, "Will you marry me?"

Her smile grew and she laughed a little, "We're already married…"

He nodded slowly, "I know...but let's get married again."

She sat up a little straighter and let his words sink in, "What?"

"Fresh start…" Luke whispered, "I mean...it would just be a renewal really. We recommit ourselves to each other. This time Jack and Elise would be there...we can make it small. Just immediate family...and then we can all go away together somewhere if you want. A big trip...some time away for all of us to just heal." He said with a shrug, "What do you think?"

"You're serious?" She asked softly, "Really serious?"

Luke smiled, "Lorelai the one big regret I have in my life is not marrying you sooner...and now I'd marry you 100 times if I could. All of this...this pain and fear we've been feeling...it's only made me love you more. It's made me realize how damn much I need you in my life and what I would do to protect the family we have. And I want to put this behind us...I want to marry you again."

Lorelai smiled and leaned in to cup his face, "God I love you…"

"I love you too…" Luke whispered against her lips, "So is that a yes?"

She giggled slightly and pulled away, "Of course it's a yes! You think I'd say no?"

He shook his head, "Not really no...just wanted to check."

She wrapped her arms around his neck and breathed him in, "So is this your thing? After I go see someone in prison you propose?"

Luke laughed and squeezed her close to him, "Well hopefully you'll never go see anyone in prison again. But apparently it is…" He pulled away and smiled at her, "I think it's both of the times you left to see him...it scared me. Not because I don't trust you but because I couldn't protect you. It makes me love you and need you more…"

She smiled and gave him a quick kiss, "So...does this mean we get to celebrate two anniversaries?"

Luke laughed, "We can if you want...we can do whatever makes you happy."

"You make me happy…" She said as she leaned further into him.

Luke smiled and kissed her lips softly, "That's all I want…"

Lorelai went to deepen the kiss but the door to her bedroom burst open and Jack ran in, "Mommy!"

Lorelai pulled away and smiled at her son, "Hey buddy, you okay?"

He walked over to her and climbed up in her lap, "Yeah. I just missed you. You didn't come say hi when you came back."

Lorelai smiled and hugged him close, "I'm sorry...I had to talk to Daddy about something."

Jack sat on her lap for a moment quietly and then asked, "Did you see him?"

Lorelai frowned and rubbed his back, "Yes honey...Rory and I went to go see Christopher."

Jack nodded slowly and shrugged, "I thought about that trial...and I don't think I want to go to it. But I could do a video...I just don't really want to see him."

"You don't have too Jack. We want you to do whatever it is you are comfortable with." Luke whispered.

Jack looked up at his Mom and smiled at her, "Are you sad anymore Mommy?"

Lorelai took a deep breath and hugged him close, "How could I be sad little buddy? I have my two best guys right beside me…"

Jack smiled at her, "Me and Daddy?"

Lorelai nodded slowly, "That's right babe."

"Speaking of best guys…" Luke said with a smile, "Jack, Mommy and I are going to have another wedding...do you want to be my best man?"

Lorelai smiled at her husband and Jack beamed up at his Dad, "Me?"

Luke nodded and lifted Jack off of his wife's lap to hold him close, "Yeah you. What do you think?"

"Aren't you and Mommy already married though?" Jack ashed with a shrug.

Luke nodded, "We are...but sometimes people have another little ceremony just to say how much they love each other. And that's what Mommy and I want to do...and we want our family to be there with us."

"What about Jess?" Jack asked, "Wasn't he your best man before?"

Luke nodded, "He was...but now I'm asking you."

Jack smiled, "Okay! I wanna do it!"

Luke smiled and kissed his cheek, "Thanks bud. There is no one else I would want beside me. You are my best man…"

Jack smiled and looked over at his Mom, "Are you gonna wear a pretty dress Mom?"

Lorelai smiled, "I don't know what I will wear buddy...Dad just asked me. Plus we technically already got married...might be something more simple."

"Can you get married on the boat?" Jack asked softly, "That would be cool!"

Lorelai chuckled softly, "We could...but we need a captain. Not a Cruise ship…"

Luke grimaced, "Hey now...let's not go there." She laughed and stuck her tongue out at him, "We could get married on the boat if we want…"

"Who's getting married?" A voice called from the door behind them.

Lorelai smiled at April and Rory as they walked in, "We're renewing our vows."

"You are?" Rory said with a smile, "That's so sweet! When? Where? On the boat?"

"We might." Lorelai said as they walked in, Jess stepped in behind them, "Hey maybe Jess can marry us!"

Jess frowned, "What?"

Luke shrugged, "That's an idea…" He turned to his nephew, "Wanna get ordained? I kind of gave your old roll up...Jack's gonna be my best man."

Jack shrugged, "Why the hell not? I've done crazier things…"

"So...we're gonna have a wedding?" Jack asked as he looked over at Lorelai.

Lorelai smiled, "I think we are bud...what do you think about that?"

Jack smiled, "I think that it's about time we had something to celebrate…"

Lorelai smiled and leaned forward to kiss his head, "I couldn't agree more."

"So...who's gonna tell Grandma?" Jack asked, "You know she loves a good wedding…"

Lorelai laughed and scooped up her son, "Jack...what would we do without you?"

Jack sighed dramatically, "Your life would be pretty boring without me…"

She smiled and kissed his cheek, "You are right about that." She paused, "Why don't' you go tell Grandma? I think she needs something to be happy about too."

Jack jumped down and ran towards the door with his siblings and cousin in tow. Lorelai smiled and leaned against Luke's shoulder. "We're getting married…again…"

Luke smiled and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, "Looks like it…"

She sighed and kissed his cheek gently, "Now you're really stuck with me."

Luke chuckled and wrapped a hand in her hair, "Only place I want to be…"

She looked around for a moment, "Think we can spare five minutes to make out? Gotta celebrate the re-engagement…"

Luke chuckled, "Sounds good to me…"

Lorelai giggled as he lay her back on the bed and immediately attached his lips to her neck. In that moment as she held him close she realized she had never loved him more. Luke was the love of her life...and all the pain she had faced not just in the last few months but her whole life was worth it because it brought her to him. And there was no where else she would rather be...this was where she belonged.

* * *

 **Hope you liked it :) I will try and write sometime this weekend so I can update soon.**


	16. Chapter 16

**Hey guys...I've been super busy and it made it hard to find time to write! But I sat down tonight to write this chapter. Hope you like it. I will try and update again soon!**

* * *

Three days later, Lorelai stood in her bedroom folding large piles of laundry on her bed. Since seeing Christopher she had barely left Luke's side. She wanted to be with him at every possible moment, he seemed to have relaxed a bit after they decided to have a vow renewal. He wasn't having dreams about going after Christopher which was a relief to her and him. She picked up one of Jack's blue flannel shirts he liked to wear to look like Luke and she couldn't help but smile. Immediately she was transferred to so many years ago when she had found out that indeed she was having a little boy…

* * *

 _Lorelai was standing in what would be her unborn son's bedroom in a little less than a month. Up until that day, they had no idea that they were having a boy. But Lorelai had gone to an appointment today on her own because Luke had to take April back to the airport. During her appointment, her Doctor had accidentally said "You and your son are doing great."_

 _They had wanted to wait, but truthfully in her heart Lorelai wanted to know desperately what they were having. Luke on the other hand had said he wanted to be surprised. But as soon as the words came out of her Doctor's mouth Lorelai immediately began to picture a mini Luke running around the house and her heart leapt in her chest. She had to tell him. She couldn't keep this kind of secret to herself._

 _So as soon as the appointment ended, she ran to the store and filled her cart with all things blue and as much flannel as she could find. She was now standing in the baby's room placing clothes into the drawers that Luke had just put together. She was humming to herself and didn't hear Luke walk into the room. He stopped and leaned against the doorframe just watching her, he couldn't stop smiling. They had been married for 8 months now and it had been the best 8 months of his life. And in a few weeks...she would give birth to his child._

 _It still amazed him that they had gotten to this point. They had been through so much...especially in the last year. Lorelai had been so strong through her whole ordeal with Christopher. She amazed him everyday when she was able to stand tall and go through her day like nothing terrible had happened to her. As her baby bump grew over the months the smile on her face only seemed to get larger and she emitted a glow that he wanted to keep forever._

 _He stood up straighter when she gasped a little but smiled when she giggled and placed her hands over her bump, "You like kicking Mommy don't you buddy? You gonna be a soccer store? Not sure your Daddy was every into soccer that much...he did sponsor that team of girls but they were terrifying."_

 _Luke bit his lip to keep from laughing. He loved seeing her in these kinds of moments when she thought she was alone. He loved hearing her talk to their baby and he didn't want it to end just yet._

 _"Daddy was a track star. Butch Danes." She said with a giggle making Luke roll his eyes, "He played baseball too...he'll teach you I'm sure. You're gonna love him...he's the best."_

 _Luke felt his heart squeeze in his chest, he had missed out on so much with April and he was so excited to see it all from the beginning. But deep down, he was also terrified that he wouldn't be any good with a baby. Babies were much different than dealing with a thirteen year old daughter who didn't live with him full time. He frowned slightly and looked down suddenly lost in thoughts and fears._

 _"I know he's scared…I can sense it. But he's so excited to meet you too. I mean I'm scared too! It's been a longgg time since I had a baby around." She laughed sadly, "But I'm hoping it's easier this time around seeing as I won't be 16 and I'll have someone to do it all with…" She paused for a moment and lifted her shirt to caress her stomach gently, "I can't wait to meet you little boy…"_

 _Luke's mouth dropped open and he practically fell into the room, "Boy?"_

 _She turned quickly and gasped when she saw him, "Luke! When did you get here?"_

 _He stepped slowly into the room and lifted his hands to place over her bare stomach, "It's a boy?"_

 _She bit her lip nervously, "Are you mad? I didn't ask them to tell me...she just said it accidently and-"_

 _"A boy…" Luke whispered in awe as he stared down at her stomach. "We're having a boy…"_

 _She smiled as she felt tears welling up in her eyes, "A mini Luke…"_

 _He glanced up at her and started to laugh slightly, "We're having a boy!"_

 _She laughed as he pulled her close and kissed her passionately, "So I take it you're not mad?"_

 _He shook his head and pulled away, "How could I be mad? You're having my son Lorelai. Do you realize how amazing this is?"_

 _She smiled and nodded slowly, "I'm pretty excited myself." She turned away from him and reached for another bag she had bought, "Look at what I got today!"_

 _He watched her pull out a small flannel shirt that practically matched his blue one that she had stolen after their first date, "You didn't…"_

 _She giggled slightly, "I had too! I saw it and I knew we had to have it. How cute is he going to look in this? Everyone is going to die when they see it! I may even let you have your shirt back just so I can see you match!"_

 _Luke rolled his eyes, "You're insane…"_

 _She frowned at him and swatted his arm playfully, "That's no way to talk to the woman carrying your son!"_

 _He laughed slightly and then stopped to stare at her as the reality of her words set in, "My son…"_

 _She smiled and leaned forward to kiss him gently, "Our son…"_

 _He swallowed hard and glanced down at her protruding belly, "Jack William Danes…"_

 _She smiled as he recited the name they had picked out if it was a little boy, "He'll be perfect."_

 _Luke glanced up at her with tears in his eyes, "I love you so much…"_

 _Her smile only grew and she put her hand over his on either side of her stomach, "WE love you so much." She said to him softly._

 _Luke smiled, pulled her close and held her as tight as possible. He could feel his son kick and he couldn't wait to meet him.  
_

* * *

Lorelai was snapped back into reality when Paul Anka trotted into the room and jumped up on the bed of clean clothes. She smiled and ruffled his hair and patted the spot beside him where no clothes were. He only sighed and rolled over onto his back. She giggled slightly and suddenly thought of another memory.

* * *

 _It had been almost two weeks before Lorelai was allowed to be released from the hospital. She couldn't wait to get home and begin her life with her new little family. Luke had helped her into the car and double checked that Jack was safe in his seat in the back. She couldn't' help but laugh at the fact that Luke barely drove the speed limit as they made their way back to Stars Hollow. She watched as he glanced often in his rear view mirror just to see his son._

 _When they pulled out in front of the house, Luke practically jumped out of his seat and ran to her side to let her out. She let him help her up and waited as he got the baby carrier out of the back seat. They walked quietly up the front steps of the porch, Luke watched as she took a deep breath once she walked in the front door. He knew that last three weeks had been just as hard for her as they had been for him. There were moments when he was thinking he'd be raising his son on his own. But today...here they were standing in the front entry way with their son._

 _"Welcome home…" He whispered to both his son and his wife._

 _She turned and looked at him with tears in her eyes, "Luke…"_

 _He gave her a nod, "Let's bring him up to his room…"_

 _She smiled, turned and started to walk towards the staircase. Luke let her go first and watched as she carefully took a step at a time. Even though it had been two weeks since she had given birth, her body had been through a lot and she was still very much healing. He noticed that she stopped in the door to Jack's room, he glanced over her shoulder to see what she was looking._

 _He smiled when he saw Paul Anka asleep in front of the crib, "Looks like someone else was excited to meet his brother…" She whispered._

 _He smiled and walked around Lorelai, he took the carrier and set it down on the ground. Paul Anka lifted his head curiously and glanced at Luke who just patted his leg. Paul Anka stood up, and pitter pattered toward Luke and the curious new object. He sniffed slightly at the air and Lorelai and Luke waited patiently to see if he would run from the room (his usual signal that he was afraid of this new object). But instead, he lay down again and placed his head on the edge of the carrier to stare at the baby boy inside._

 _Luke smiled and turned towards his wife, "I think he likes him…"_

 _Lorelai wiped a tear from her eye and walked over, Luke helped her kneel down beside him. She reached a hand out to ruffle Paul Anka's head, "This is your new brother Paul Anka...this is Jack. And it's your job to keep him safe…"_

 _"He's not much of a watch dog…" Luke said with a chuckle._

 _Lorelai swatted at his arm, "With his brother he will be...won't you boy?"_

 _Paul Anka scooted closer to Jack and just stared at him. Luke smiled, stood up and ruffled Paul Anka's fur. He leaned down, lifted Jack carefully from his carrier and bounced him up and down. Lorelai stood up slowly and watched as Luke walked Jack around the room, his little arm reached out from his blanket and yawned._

 _"This is your room Jack...Mommy and I were so excited to bring you home here. This is where you will sleep...well maybe in the beginning you'll probably sleep in our room." He smiled and walked over to the window, "And someday when you're big enough you'll be running around that yard all the time...and we'll go swimming in the lake. You'll take your first steps here...say your first words...this is where it will all happen."_

 _Lorelai walked over to him and placed a gentle hand on his back, "I'm so glad we're home…"_

 _Luke nodded slowly and glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. He smiled when she reached a hand out to caress her son's face softly. "You gave me a scare there for a minute…"_

 _She frowned and squeezed his hip with her hand not touching her son, "I'm sorry about that…"_

 _Luke swallowed hard and looked down at his tiny son, "I don't think I would have been able to do this on my own…"_

 _She kissed his shoulder gently, "You would have...you would have done a wonderful job with him. I know it…"_

 _Since she had woken up, they had not talked about what could have potentially happened. The Doctors had prepared Luke for the worst but he had refused to believe she would leave him. She was stronger than that...she was stubborn enough to hold on if only to see her son finally. He felt his heart constrict in his chest at the thought of having to say goodbye to her._

 _"I would have done it for him...but it never would have felt right. I need you here with me." He said in a raw pained voice._

 _She rested her forehead against his back and felt tears brimming in her eyes, "It all happened so fast...we were going to the hospital and I felt okay...and then it all went black…"_

 _Luke swallowed hard, "They wouldn't let me see you...they made me leave the room and I was just standing there in the hallway alone. And then they brought me Jack and I kept thinking...he needs his mom. And I needed you too…"_

 _She leaned in and kissed under his left ear, "I'm right here Luke...and I'm not going anywhere."_

 _He turned slowly with his son in his arms and handed her to him, "Good…"_

 _She smiled down at her son and bounced him back and forth, "Hi handsome boy...remember me? Mommy? We're finally home! No more stinky hospitals. We're really home…" Jack cooed up at her and she giggled, "I love you so much little man...so so much. And I never would have left you like that...I was so excited to meet you! And now you're here and I can't wait to see what amazing things you will do…the amazing man you will become!"_

 _Jack gurgled a little and she giggled as he started to snore softly. She smiled, lifted him slightly and kissed the top of his head little head. She turned and walked towards the bassinet in the corner, he was still too young to be in his real crib yet. She placed him down gently and smoothed back the thin layer brown hair on his head._

 _"We made that…" She said with a smile, "He's part of us...he's our son."_

 _Luke walked over to her and rubbed her back gently, "We're damn lucky…"_

 _She leaned into chest and he wrapped his arms around her, "Luke…" Her voice cracked slightly and he gave her a squeeze, "What if-"_

 _"Shhh…" He whispered into her hair, "We're here now...we're home. We can't…" His own voice cracked and he had to take a second to compose himself, "I can't think about that...I've lived without you before...and I won't do it again."_

 _She nodded slowly and then turned in his embrace to hold him tight, "Okay…"_

 _He ran his hands up her back and glanced over at his sleeping son, "Everything is going to be fine now…"_

 _She pulled away and smiled up at him, "Hey Luke?"_

 _He cocked his head to the side, surprised by her sudden shift in emotion, "Yeah?"_

 _She shrugged, "I was just thinking...you promised me coffee as soon as this little man was born…"_

 _He groaned slightly, "Lorelai…"_

 _"And I realize we were a little distracted at first...but now we're home and if we are going to go back to normal...we might as well give me the coffee." She said with a smirk._

 _He shook his head and laughed slightly, "You'll never change will you?"_

 _She smiled and batted her eyelashes at him, "Nope. But would you really want me too?"_

 _Luke smiled, leaned in and kissed her softly, "Never." He kissed her again and pointed to the rocking chair in the corner, "You rest. I'll get your coffee."_

 _She smiled and squeezed his hand before he pulled away. She walked to the chair, sat down and smiled over at her son who was fast asleep. Paul Anka stood up and trotted over to her. He rested his head on her knee and she smiled and scratched behind his ears. "Don't worry Paul Anka...you're still my first son." Paul Anka whimpered and gave her hand a little kiss. She closed her eyes and let her feet rock back and forth and she finally relaxed now that she was home…_

* * *

Back in present time, Lorelai lifted a hand and wiped away the tears that were now falling freely from her eyes. She hiccuped softly and put a hand over her mouth just as she felt a small hand on her back.

"Hey…" Luke whispered as he sat down on the edge of the bed and pulled her into his lap, "What's wrong?"

She shook her head and snuggled into his neck, "Nothing...I was just thinking...about Jack. When we found out he was a boy...and when he brought him home for the first time. I just...got overwhelmed with emotion there for a minute."

Luke nodded and kissed the top of her head, "I understand…"

She sniffled softly, "It's just..I know he's home. But bringing home again once we found him...it was like that first time all over again. Both times we could have lost him...or I could have died back then. And God Luke...I love that little boy so damn much."

He lifted her chin with his finger and kissed her lips softly, "I love him too Lorelai...and he's gonna be okay. He's so strong...he's already proved that."

She laughed a little, "I think I'm more worried about myself than him...being able to let him go again."

He smiled, "I know...have you thought anymore about school?"

She frowned a little, "Caroline said he would be okay to go now...and his teachers agreed to help us catch him up. I know it's probably the right thing to do...but part of me selfishly wants to keep him with me forever."

Luke nodded, "Me too...but he needs to go to school...experience things with all his friends."

She swallowed hard and reached for his hand, "I know…"

He opened his mouth to say something but Lorelai's cell phone began to ring. He thought she was going to ignore it but she lifted it to her ear and answered, "Hey Dad." Luke watched her listen to her father for a moment, and slowly her face turned white she glanced at Luke, "Okay...yes. Yes...just call me back when you hear more okay? Thanks Dad...I-I-I love you too." She closed the phone and glanced down at her lap lost in thought.

"What's wrong?" Luke asked quickly as he grabbed for her hand.

She lifted her face to stare at him, "Chris tried to kill himself…"

Luke inhaled sharply and sat up a little straighter, "What?"

"He tried to hang himself with his clothes...they caught him though. And now he's in the medical ward on suicide watch." She whispered in a hoarse voice.

Luke groaned and ran a hand over his face, "Jesus…"

She laughed sadly, "I should have known he would try it...I mean he was going to do it when he had Jack. But now that he was in jail I think I just thought he wouldn't be able to do that. I don't know why really…" She grimaced slightly, "And it was probably because of all the things I said to him the other day…" She paused again, "Jesus why do I feel guilty about him trying to kill himself? After everything he's done why do I give a damn?"

Luke sighed and gripped her hand tightly in his, "Because you are a good person…"

She sniffled slightly and glanced up at him, "Maybe…"

He shook his head, "No not maybe. You are a GOOD person Lorelai. You are. You have a huge heart. That's why it bothers you." He paused, "Me on the other hand...I'm upset because I think he's a fucking coward."

She smirked, "He's always been a coward…" She licked her lips softly, "Right before I got pregnant with Rory he and I snuck out to this party at a friends house...the cops raided the place and Chris panicked. He shoved me towards the cops and took off running. I couldn't believe it...we never talked about it. And I only got off because the cop knew my Dad...but God I was so mad at him. He just threw me to the wolves…"

Luke frowned, "Idiot…"

"Not to mention the way he was able to successfully dodge any responsibilities with his daughter for years." She clucked her tongue angrily.

"Lorelai…" He whispered as he lifted her face towards him again, "We can't let him ruin our lives…"

She swallowed hard, "I know...I know. But...he's away but I still keep thinking about what it all means. I mean Rory's father is in prison. And whether he kills himself or not...someday he'll die. And what will that feel like? And what kinds of questions will Jack has as he gets older? Will he remember this all? How will it affect him?"

Luke was quiet for a moment, "I don't have an answer to any of those questions…"

She nodded slowly, "I know you don't...none of us do." She shook her head slowly, "You know what...I don't want to talk about Christopher. I just don't…"

He nodded slowly, "Okay...well what can I do to cheer you up?"

She waggled her eyebrows at him and he chuckled, "We can save that for later." She paused and then smiled softly, "Actually...I almost totally forgot. My Mom and I were talking about the renewal...you still want to do it?"

Luke smiled at her, "Course I do. What did you guys talk about?"

"Well if we want to do it on the boat...we should do it soon while it's still semi warm. Something casual...just family. I'll wear a fabulous white dress...nothing too fancy but still pretty." She said with a smile.

"You'll look beautiful in whatever you wear." He said with a smile as he pulled at her curls.

She beamed at him, "You can wear just a nice pair of pants and a button up...no suit I promise. Jack will be your best man...Rory and April will stand with me, one of them can hold Elise. Jess will marry us now that he's getting ordained. My parents, Liz, TJ and Doula can all be there too. Just go off shore a little ways...have the ceremony and then my parents said if we want you and I can sail away for a few days...if we're comfortable doing that. Jess and Rory can take care of the kids while we're gone now that they are both moving home...what do you think?" She asked.

Luke took a deep breath and nodded slowly, "Sounds perfect...I could use a little get away with my best gal…"

She smiled and leaned forward to kiss him gently, "You're okay with leaving the kids? I'll admit that for a moment I panicked. I mean last time we celebrated together Jack…"

She trailed off slowly and Luke nodded, "I know. And we don't have to do that if you don't want too. I'm happy to just come home. But...we also can't live in fear…"

She nodded slowly, "That's what my Mom said…"

He shook his head, "Like I said we don't have to do it Lorelai...I want to do what will make you the most comfortable."

She swallowed hard, "I think we should spend some time just us. Reconnect…" She lifted a hand and caressed his face, "We've been together...but we've also been distracted. I want to be with you…"

Luke nodded slowly and leaned into her, "I want that too…"

"But…" She whispered with a slight smile, "Depending on how long we are away I expect to dock a few times just so I can call and check in."

He smiled and kissed her again, "I'd expect nothing less from you…" He shrugged, "And besides I'm gonna wanna check in too."

She sighed softly and lay back on the bed falling on a pile of unfolded clothes. She smiled and reached behind her to scratch Paul Anka's head. He licked the side of her face softly.

She giggled, "I'm sorry bud...I feel like you've been neglected lately. Daddy and I still love you…"

Luke groaned and lay on his stomach beside her, "For the last time...I am NOT his Daddy."

Lorelai rolled her eyes, "Oh stop Luke. You love this dog and you know it!"

He pursed his lips and shook his head, "This nut job? No way."

She glared at him, "In reality I'm probably crazier than he is...and so are your children."

He laughed loudly, "You're probably right about that…" He reached out and scratched at Paul Anka's head, "He's not so bad...he's grown on me over the years."

She smiled and watched the dog, "Remember when I brought him home?"

"Uh yeah...how could I forget? You bought every damn toy in the world and we had to hide out on the porch because he wouldn't eat in front of us back then." He chuckled.

Lorelai smiled and kissed Paul Anka's head, "He just had to get used to us...didn't you boy?"

The door cracked open and a sleepy eyed Jack walked into the room, "Mommy?"

She sat up slowly and smiled at the young boy, "Hey little man. How was your nap?"

Jack yawned and padded into the room. He climbed up onto the large bed and snuggled into Paul Anka's side. "I had a weird dream…"

Luke lifted his hand and rubbed Jack's back, "A bad dream?"

Jack's eyes were closed as he leaned further into the dog, "No. Not bad…"

Lorelai frowned, "What happened in your dream Jack?"

Jack was quiet for a moment, and for a second they thought he had fallen asleep. But soon he let his eyes flutter open and he stared at his Mom, "I was back at that house...the one he had me at. And…"

Lorelai held her breath slightly, "And what Jack?"

"And he was there...and he was talking to me and saying he was sorry. And then he told me to leave...and so I left. But I got outside and didn't know where to go...and there were all these fireflies by the trees so i walked over to them. And they started flying away and I had to run to keep up with them. And I was running and running and running and then they disappeared and I got scared for a moment. But then Paul Anka showed up...and he lead me back home. And then I got here...and you were all here but you were sad because I was gone. And I stood there and then knocked on the door. Mommy opened it and she was smiling when she realized it was me and then I just woke up…" He whispered.

Lorelai lifted her hand to rub Jack's cheek, "Jack…"

He pouted softly, "Is Paul Anka going to die someday?"

Lorelai was surprised by the sudden change of topic, "Um...well...yes someday he will."

He was quiet and then looked at his Dad, "And someday you all will die too right...just like your parents?"

Luke swallowed hard, "Yes Jack...everyone dies eventually."

He paused again and thought carefully before he spoke again, "Will...Christopher die?"

Jack had made sure to not say his name much since he had come home. It caught her by surprise when she heard the name escape her son's lips. Lorelai sat up slowly and stared down at her son, "Yes Jack...someday he will die."

He nodded slowly, "Will he die in prison?"

"Most likely…" Lorelai whispered as she began to rub his back.

Jack frowned, "That's sad…" He paused again.

Lorelai reached out and lifted him up to put in her lap, "Jack...tell us what you're thinking."

Jack shrugged and leaned against her shoulder, "I don't really know…"

Luke sat up and smiled at his son, "You know you can tell us anything Jack…"

Jack nodded slowly and looked up at him, "Sometimes...I worry that something bad will happen again. To me...or Elise or Mommy or anyone else and that's scary…"

Lorelai squeezed him hard, "Oh honey…"

"Cuz...I didn't think I'd be away from you before but I was." He paused, "And someday you won't be around at all...and I don't like that."

Luke swallowed hard, "Jack...I wish I could tell you that nothing bad will ever happen again. I wish I could protect you and your sisters from everything and anything that could hurt you. But I can't...and neither can Mom." He paused and glanced up at his wife, "But I can tell you that...there is so much good in the world too. And you know how I learned that?"

Jack cocked his head to the side, "How?"

Luke smiled and glanced up at his Mom, "Before I met your Mom and Rory...I was very sad. I was angry about a lot of things...but then I met your Mom and I started to see all the good things in the world. Your Mom is always full of life and so happy...and that's why I fell in love with her. She taught me how to take the times when you're sad and find something really good to hold onto."

Jack glanced up at his Mom slowly, "How do you do that?"

Lorelai smiled down at him, "Well it's kind of like that song from the Sound of Music…"

Jack smiled, "My favorite things?"

Lorelai laughed slightly, "Yes. It's just like that. Whenever you're really sad...or scared or even mad you just have to think about all the things that make you really happy. So...what makes you really happy. It could be people or things or even memories…"

Jack was quiet for a moment as he thought and then his smile grew, "Well you and Daddy make me happy…"

Lorelai smiled and squeezed him tight, "What else?"

"Rory, April and Elise...and Jess too." He paused and laughed, "And I laugh when I think about that time that Uncle TJ glued himself to the ladder when he tried to fix the windows at his house…"

Luke chuckled, "That's always a good memory to keep…"

Lorelai giggled and kissed Jack's head, "What else can you think of?"

"Well I love it when I get to cook with Daddy." Jack said with a smile, "And I love it when I have a dance party with Mommy when no one else is home…"

Lorelai tickled his sides, "That was supposed to be our little secret mister…"

Jack giggled and continued, "And I like going out on the boat...and when we get to swim in the lake. I like when Grandpa reads to me and uses funny voices for all the characters. And I even like it when Grandma tries to teach me how to set a table properly because it's always just me and her…"

Lorelai swallowed hard, "You have so many people who love you Jack...that's the most important thing to remember."

Jack nodded slowly, "I have a lot of good things in my life...more than the bad scary things."

Luke nodded and squeezed his hand, "That's right buddy."

Jack looked at his Dad, "So it's okay to feel a little scared or sad sometimes?"

"Of course it is Jack. Everyone gets scared and sad...everyone gets mad and upset. It's all normal. You never have to worry about feeling an emotion...in your life you'll feel a lot of different things. But Mom and I will be here to help you through it. And...even when we're not….you'll still have so many other people here for you too." He said softly.

Jack smiled at him, "Okay...I think I feel a little better now."

Lorelai smiled and squeezed him tightly, "Good…"

Jack smiled and scooted off her lap to pet Paul Anka again, "Are you guys still going to get married again?"

Lorelai smiled, "We were just talking about that actually...yes we are. You still want to be Dad's best man?"

Jack smiled at her, "Yeah." He paused and then scrunched up his nose, "Will I get married someday?"

Lorelai laughed and squeezed his knee, "I hope so!"

Jack stuck his tongue out, "But girls are so gross!"

Luke laughed and ruffled his curly hair, "Someday that feeling will change buddy…"

"Or someday it won't…" Lorelai said with a smirk, "And if it doesn't and you like other people Daddy and I will still love you."

Luke chuckled and Jack stared at her with a confused expression, "What?"

"Nothing." Lorelai said with a laugh, "But yes Jack...hopefully someday you'll get married and have lots of children and be as happy as Daddy and I are."

Jack smiled, "You love Daddy…"

Lorelai smiled and looked over at her husband, "I love your Daddy very much…"

Jack nodded, "And you love Mommy?" He asked his father.

Luke nodded slowly, "Yes I do."

"Then I now pronounce you husband and wife! There! You're remarried!" Jack said as he laughed.

Lorelai laughed, pulled Jack back to her and started tickling his sides nonstop making him laugh loudly. Jack's shrieks of laughter made Paul Anka sit up straighter and start to howl. Luke watched the scene in front of him and felt his heart squeeze in his chest. Suddenly two more small feel pitter pattered into the room and he smiled when he saw his curly haired daughter walking over to him.

Luke laughed as Lorelai and Jack continued to tickle each other, "Look's like we got an escape artist on our hands!"

He scooped up his daughter and lay back on his back as he held her above him. Elise giggled as her father lifted her up and down and smothered her face with kisses. Lorelai finally stopped tickling Jack as she watched the scene between her husband and youngest daughter. She smiled, pulled Jack up to her and lay next to Luke who pulled Elise down onto his chest. She rested her head against his shoulder and breathed in the familiar scent of him.

"Look at what we made…" She whispered to him repeating the words she had said the first day they brought Jack home.

Luke smiled and glanced at his two children, "We did good…"

Jack and Elise started to play together on the bed and Lorelai looked at her husband as she lay close to him, "No matter what...we always land on our feet you and I. We make a good team."

Luke smiled at her, "Yes...we do. I can't imagine going through life with anyone else by my side."

She smiled and tipped her face up to kiss him gently, "Thank you for loving me…"

He chuckled, "Like I had a choice...I was a goner the minute I met you. One look at those blue eyes and those curls and you could have gotten me to run away to the circus with you."

She frowned, "Damn...wish I had known what kind of power I hold over you back then."

He smiled, "You still hold that power over me crazy lady...I'd do anything you asked me to do if it meant making you happy."

She smiled and leaned against him as she watched Jack start to jump up and down on the bed. Elise sat between her parents and clapped her hands together as Jack jumped. She took a deep breath and kissed Luke's shoulder as she watched her children happily. "All I need to make me happy is right here…"

Luke smiled and kissed the top of her head. He reached out and lifted his son up over his head making him squeal with delight. Paul Anka started to bark at them and Elise giggled as she crawled up onto her Mother's stomach and Lorelai held her close. There were still so many things that could bring them down...but in this moment everything felt right.

* * *

 **Hope you liked it. Obviously not much happened but I feel like with everything they have been through it is good for them to have some real time to reflect on everything that has happened. Will try and write more soon! Thanks!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Been crazy busy but finally found some time to write. Hope you enjoy :)**

* * *

Lorelai and Luke were fast asleep in bed. He was laying on his back with one arm up over his head, his other was resting over Lorelai's hand on his chest. Her head lay against his shoulder and her right leg was thrown over his hip and her foot nestled between his legs. They were breathing softly basking in the feeling of actual real sleep after their weeks and months of fear.

The bedroom door creaked open and a tiny boy tiptoed into the room, Paul Anka pitter pattered in behind him. He glanced at his parents for a moment, then climbed up onto the bed and started poking his father's chest.

"Dad...wake up. Wake up. Daddy wake up!" Jack screamed the last part.

Both Luke and Lorelai woke with a jolt and stared at their son, "Jack?" Luke asked in a groggy voice.

Jack smiled down at his parents, "I get to go to school today! You need to wake up!"

Lorelai rolled off of her husband and picked up her cell phone to check the time, "Jack...it's 5 in the morning. School doesn't start for a few hours…"

Jack pouted softly and his father couldn't help but laugh, he had inherited that from his Mother, "But I've already missed so much! Can't we go early?"

Lorelai reached out and pulled her son to her side, "Why do you want to leave Mommy so soon?" She asked as she held him close and kissed his head.

"I don't want to leave you Mommy but I think school with be fun!" Jack said as he tried to squirm out of her grasp.

Luke chuckled again and rolled over onto his side and gave his son's hand a squeeze, "Don't try and escape her bud...she'll only hold on tighter."

Jack let out a frustrated huff and looked at his Mom, "Mommy?"

She mirrored his pout from earlier and stared at her son with wide, watery eyes, "Yes?"

Jack turned in her arms and held her face in his small hands, "Mommy I'm gonna be okay. I promise. And I'll come right home after school. But if you miss me you can come see me at recess!"

Lorelai smiled as a single tear escaped her eye, "When did you grow up so fast handsome boy?"

Jack shrugged, "I don't know. It just keeps happening."

Lorelai smiled and pulled him close again, "Tell you what...give me ten more minutes to pretend you're still my tiny little baby...and then we'll get up, okay?"

Jack nodded and snuggled into her side, "Okay Mommy. I love you."

She squeezed her eyes tight and reached for Luke's hand as she whispered in a hoarse voice, "I love you too little man…"

Luke smiled and wrapped an arm around both of them to hold them for as long as possible. Lucky for them, Jack soon drifted off back to sleep in the comfort of his parents bed…

By 8:30, Jack was dressed and ready to go. He had convinced Luke to make the special Rory pancakes since it was such a big day. He was now standing on the porch with his oversized flannel backpack and practically jumping in his spot. Lorelai and Luke were getting Elise ready for her day with Rory. Rory stood beside her brother on the porch. Jess had gone back to New York to get the last of his things and April was visiting her Mother for a few days before coming back for the renewal.

Rory knelt down beside her brother and put a hand on his tiny shoulder, "How you feelin bud?"

Jack turned towards her and smiled, "I'm really excited! I wasn't before...I was nervous about school. But now I think it might be fun!"

Rory smiled at him, "It will be fun Jack. And you are going to do great!"

He paused slightly, "Even though I missed a few weeks? You think I'll be okay?"

Rory nodded and scooted closer to him. Luke and Lorelai were now standing in the doorway, Elise was high up on her mother's hip and they stopped to let Rory and her brother have their moment together.

"You are so smart Jack. And you are so determined...I know you can handle anything that comes your way. But your teachers and your friends will help you at school if you need it and when you are home Mom and Dad will help too. And whatever you need from me...I'll be there." She said giving him a wink.

Jack nodded slowly, "Think I can go to Yale someday too?"

Lorelai leaned into her husband and he rubbed her back slowly as Rory lifted a hand to give her brother's shoulder a squeeze, "I think you can do anything you set your mind too Jack. I have no doubt that you are going to do amazing things in this world...and I can't wait to watch it all."

Jack took a deep breath, leaned in and hugged his sister tightly, "Thanks Rory."

She squeezed him tightly, "Have a great first day bud. I can't wait to hear all about it when you get back tonight."

Jack pulled away and looked at his parents, "Can we go Mommy?"

Lorelai nodded and kissed Elise's cheek softly before handing her to Rory, "Sure thing buddy. You still want to walk?"

Jack nodded, "Yes please."

Luke smiled and lifted his son high up in the air, Jack laughed as he rested his legs on his father's shoulders. Rory gave her Mom a kiss on the cheek and watched as the three of them walked towards down and Jack's school.

Rory held Elise close and kissed her cheek, "Looks like it's just you and me pretty girl. But before you know it that will be you heading to your first day of school!"

Elise watched her parents and brother walk away and then turned towards her sister, "Play?"

Rory only laughed and kissed her sister's cheek, "Sure thing kiddo. Let's go play!"

* * *

When they reached the front of the school, Jack seemed to tense up on Luke's shoulders. Luke glanced at his wife and she seemed to sense a shift in the mood of their son too. She was trying her best to be strong for the young boy and hoped that she could keep it together enough for him in this moment. Luke carefully lifted his son down off his shoulders and placed in him on the ground. He knelt down in front of him and pulled at the straps of his backpack.

"Hey Jack Jack. You ready to go in?" He asked trying to give him his best and most confident smile.

Jack was quiet for a moment and glanced around at all the other kids running towards the school, "What if...what if I need you?"

Luke glanced at his wife and then back at his son, "Well...you tell your teachers when something is bothering you okay? They know that things are a little different since you are starting school later. They will call us and we will come and get you. We can be here in no time at all."

Jack nodded slowly and glanced past his father, he could make out the Diner from here, "Will you go back to work?"

Luke nodded, "Eventually yes. But not today...Mom and I will be at home and can run right over if you need us. But when I do go back to work I'll be so close to you here and I can come over then too. For anything."

Jack looked over at his Mom, "And Doula is here too?"

Lorelai nodded, "Yes. She's in first grade now but her classroom is right down the hall from yours."

Jack nodded again and glanced back at the school, "It looks bigger than it used too…"

Luke squeezed his little shoulder gently, "Jack...if you aren't ready today we can wait-"

Jack turned quickly and shook his head, "No. I want to go today. I want to do this. Just...a little nervous."

Lorelai smiled, "Everyone gets a little nervous on their first day of school no matter what grade they are going into buddy."

"Even Rory?" Jack asked softly, "Did she get nervous?"

Lorelai giggled softly, "Oh yeah! Every year before her first day of school she'd say she was too sick to go. I'd have to bribe her with treats to get her to go. And then once she got there she loved it! And I know you will too."

Jack smiled softly when he realized he wasn't alone in feeling nervous, "Will you and Daddy be okay?"

Lorelai smiled and knelt down next to her husband, "We'll miss you all day. But we'll be here even before school ends ready to see you! And we will be so excited to hear about all the exciting things you did and all your new friends. They will love you baby."

Jack took a deep breath and glanced back at his parents, "Okay…let's go in."

Luke and Lorelai both stood up and Jack reached behind them for both of their hands. They walked with him in the middle and made their way towards the front of the school. They stepped up the front steps and walked around the other students towards Jack's new classroom. They walked into the room and gazed around at the kids who were already busy playing. Jack let go of his Mother's hand and wrapped both of his arms nervously around Luke's leg.

He placed a hand on top of his son's head to reassure him he wasn't leaving yet. Jack's teacher noticed them and walked over, she gave Luke and Lorelai a smile before bending down in front of Jack. "Hi Jack. My name is Miss Sawyer. I'm going to be your teacher this year. I'm really excited you're here today and your friends are just as excited to meet you!"

Jack held on tighter to his father's leg, "Hi…"

Luke pulled at his hands a little and knelt down with them, "Do you want to check out the room a little?" He asked his son.

Jack shook his head back and forth and reached for his Mom, "Mommy I think I want to go home now…"

Lorelai took a deep breath and tried to keep her tears in as she knelt down again with him "It's alright Jack...Daddy and I won't leave until you are ready."

Jack shook his head again and turned to bury his face in her neck, "Don't go."

She whimpered softly and held him close as she glanced over at her husband, unsure of what to say, "Oh honey…"

"I'm scared. I said I wasn't but I am. I haven't been alone since...since...he took me." Jack whispered into her neck.

Lorelai had no words for her son and stared directly at her husband wanting nothing more than to scoop her son up and run back to the safety of their house. She watched Luke sniffle a little and begin to unzip Jack's back pack.

"Hey Jack I brought something for you…" Luke whispered softly, "Maybe it will help."

Jack pulled away from his Mom a little and peeked over at his Dad curious to see what he had for him, "What is it?"

Luke swallowed hard and pulled out the blue hat that Jack had been wearing the day Chris had taken him. He hadn't worn it since he had come back home. But before the whole ordeal...Jack often wore it when he was afraid or nervous. He said it made him feel like Luke was with him in someway so he wasn't alone.

Luke sighed, "I know you haven't worn this in awhile...but I was thinking that maybe we could change that today. You can wear yours and I'll have mine all day and it will be like we're together. What do you think?"

Jack glanced down at the blue hat in his father's hands, he looked at his teacher as if to ask if it was okay, "It's okay Jack. You can wear it."

Jack reached out and took the small hat, he put it on backwards and seemed to stand a little straighter as he did so. "How do you feel now?" Luke asked.

Jack was quiet for a moment, "A little better…"

Luke gave him a nod and reached out for his small hand, "You can do this Jack. I know you can."

The little boy glanced around the room and noticed all the toys and activities just waiting for him to explore. He saw new friends, some he recognized from around town and suddenly didn't feel so alone. He took a step into the classroom away from his parents, but then turned and lunged at them both, hugging them tightly around the room.

"I'll see you after school." He whispered to them.

Luke and Lorelai held him close and waited for his signal when it was time to pull away. When he did, he gave them both a small wave and then walked over to the truck rug and asked to play with two other boys. One of them handed Jack a fire truck which he gladly accepted and sat down to play with them.

Lorelai and Luke stood up and immediately grabbed for each other's hands. "Luke…" She whispered.

He gave her hand a squeeze, "I know…" He whispered to her.

Miss Sawyer smiled and stood up, "I promise that I will call you guys if anything happens...we have an adjustment counselor coming in soon to monitor things too. He's going to be alright."

Lorelai laughed a little, "It's not him I'm worried about...it's us."

Miss Sawyer smiled softly at her, "I understand…"

Luke pulled at his wife's hand a little, "We should probably go...give him some space before he changes his mind."

Lorelai licked her lips and nodded, "Right...okay."

"He's safe here. I promise." Miss Sawyer said staring directly at Lorelai.

Lorelai took a deep breath and gave her a quick nod, "Thank you."

She turned slowly and stared to walk out of the classroom with Luke right behind her. They didn't say anything as they walked through the hall of the school. They only stopped when they reached the gate leading to the school.

Immediately Lorelai turned and fell into Luke's arms. He wrapped his arms securely around her and held her close, "It's okay…"

She sniffled softly and held him close, "I just hate it...I hate it…"

He squeezed her tight, "I know...I do too. But he is so strong Lorelai. I know he can do this." He pushed her away slightly and brushed some hair out of her face, "And so can we…"

She laughed a little and wiped at her tears, "I'm not so sure about that…"

Luke smiled and brushed at her tears, "We can Lorelai. As much as I'd like to keep with him every second of everyday...he deserves to have these experiences. It will be so good for him."

She nodded slowly and reached for his hands, "I know. You're right...but for a second there when he told me he wanted to go home I was ready to run him all the way home with or without you." She said with a laugh.

He chuckled, "Trust me...I would have been right behind you."

She smiled, took a deep breath and then turned in the direction of their house, "We should go...if we stay out here I'll be too tempted to run inside again."

Luke gave her hand a squeeze and they walked together back towards the house. They were not surprised to see Emily and Richard sitting on the porch with Elise and Rory. Lorelai climbed the stairs and leaned in to hug her Mom.

"Hey…" She whispered to her Mom.

Emily squeezed her tightly, "How did it go?"

Lorelai sighed and sat down on the steps and reached for Elise who crawled up into her Mother's arms happily, "It was hard...but he did great. Had a little moment of fear but then he jumped in head first."

"He's a champ that boy." Richard said with a proud smile, "He's stronger than all of us combined I think."

"There's no doubt about that." Luke said leaning against the railing of the steps, "That kid could take on the world single handedly if he really had too."

Rory smiled, "I wish he'd share some of that strength with the rest of us." She paused and looked at her Mom, "Grandpa told me about...Dad." She nearly choked on the word, "It honestly feels weird still calling him that...he doesn't feel like my Dad anymore."

Lorelai sighed and held Elise closer, "Have you heard anything new?" She asked looking at her father.

"They were able to talk to Christopher yesterday...he seems to have calmed down. He says he wants to plead guilty and accept whatever charges he is given. This would mean there would be no need for a real trial. There is enough evidence against him...some stores and gas stations came forth with video of Chris with Jack as they stopped along the way before getting to the house." He said, "There is no way that he can get out of this...and since he is pleading guilty he will get punished either way…"

Lorelai was quiet for a moment, "It just feels...strange. All of it. It doesn't seem possible. I mean Chris was always…" She smiled sadly, "He was always immature and cowardly but I still sometimes find it hard to believe he could have done any of this."

Emily frowned, "I still can't believe I ever thought that sorry excuse for a man was a good match for you. It makes me sick just thinking about it…"

Lorelai reached out and squeezed her Mother's hand, "Mom...you had no idea any of this would happen. Don't beat yourself up over it now...it's in the past."

Emily sniffled slightly, "Even still...my behavior back then was terrible." She looked over at Luke, "I don't know how you ever forgave me…"

Luke looked down and blushed slightly, "Emily...without you there would be no Lorelai. And that is not a world I want to know. I moved past all that a long time ago...and so should you."

She smiled softly, "You're a good man Luke Danes...a damn good man."

Elise gasped and put a hand over her mouth, she recognized that word, Lorelai laughed, "Yes Elise...Grandma said a bad word!"

Emily laughed, "Oh come here you…" She lifted her slowly, "I was just about to change her anyway before you came home."

Lorelai smiled and stood up, "I'll come with you." She winked at her husband and left him with her father and Rory.

They walked upstairs and into Elise's room. Lorelai leaned against the wall and watched as her Mother lay Elise down on the changing table and began to talk to her as she got what she needed to change her.

Lorelai was quiet for a moment and then spoke softly, "Mom I...I've been thinking a lot lately. About…" She sighed and brushed her hair out of her face, "About how I just left home...back then I was so caught up in it all and sometimes I forget how much it would have impacted you and Dad."

Emily paused only for a moment as she let her daughter's words sink in. This was a topic they often avoided, they had lost so much time and there was no use in rehashing it. "Lorelai…"

"The thing is…" She swallowed the lump in her throat as she spoke, "I'm sorry Mom. I know it wasn't all you...I just...I needed to do it on my own. I felt really lost and I know...I know you and Dad did what you thought was best for me but I didn't want that life. Maybe you will never understand that...and quite honestly I probably never will either but that's just how I felt. I needed to prove to myself that I could do it all on my own. I needed to prove to myself that I was good enough…"

Emily slipped on Elise's diaper and pulled on her clothes again. Lorelai watched as she lifted her granddaughter into the air, place a kiss on her temple and then place her down by her toys on the floor. Emily walked slowly over to her daughter and smiled at her, "Lorelai you were always good enough...and I'm sorry that I ever made you doubt that."

Lorelai bit her lip nervously, "Mom…"

"I spent a long time being angry with you...I thought you were trying to hurt your father and I but I know now that wasn't the case. We pushed you to hard...to be someone that you weren't. And all along I should have realized the person you were was so much better than I realized. I should have seen what an incredible daughter I had." She said in a whispered pained voice.

Lorelai smiled sadly, "Well I'm sure that was pretty hard to do when I was running around drunk every night and sneaking out of the house. I can't imagine it was easy to hear that I was pregnant...I don't know what I would have done if Rory ever told me that at 16. Or what I would do now if April told me or even Elise down the road…"

Emily shook her head, "Lorelai you would have handled it much better than your father and I did. You are so much stronger than I ever could be…"

Lorelai shook her head, "I don't really think that's true...you're a tough broad Mom. No one wants to mess with you."

Emily laughed, "Yes I can be tough. But deep down I'm not strong like you. I mean look at what you have done with your life Lorelai...you took a teenage pregnancy and created a life for your daughter most kids could only dream of. You gave her everything she ever needed and mostly all on your own. And now you have a husband and three other beautiful children...and despite every single hurdle you have faced you have jumped over them and come out even stronger. I am so proud of you...so incredibly proud."

Lorelai felt the tears burning in her eyes again, "Mom…"

Emily stepped forward and took her daughter's hand, "I just wanted you to know that. And to know that I love you and am so glad that you are my daughter."

Lorelai whimpered softly and leaned in to hug her Mother, "I love you too Mom."

Emily squeezed her daughter tightly and let the years of regret wash away from her. Rory poked her head into the room and smiled when she saw her Grandmother and Mother embracing, something she didn't often see.

"Hey…" Rory whispered as she walked into the room.

Lorelai and Emily both pulled away and wiped at the tears on their faces, "Hey...everything alright?" Lorelai asked.

Rory nodded, "Yeah just wanted you to know that Jack's teacher called...she said he is doing great."

Lorelai let out a little sigh of relief, "That was sweet of her to call…"

"She also said that Liz and TJ purposefully dropped off Doula late so they could check on him." She said with a smile.

Lorelai laughed a little, "I'll have to thank her later…"

Rory gave her a nod, "Luke just made some coffee...want some?"

"Is that a rhetorical question?" She asked with a laugh as she watched her mother lift Elise up.

They walked out of the bedroom and down the hallway and stairs to the kitchen. Lorelai smiled when she saw Luke and Richard laughing at something together by the stove. She leaned over and gave her husband a kiss on the cheek as he held out a cup of coffee to her. For the rest of the morning they sat and talked about nothing and everything to pass the time until they could pick up Jack.

* * *

Lorelai and Luke were ten minutes early for the end of the school day. They stood anxiously out front not saying much to each other but exchanging small smiles and gentle touches to remind each other they weren't alone. Finally the doors opened and kids started to stream out.

Luke heard Lorelai inhale sharply and saw her eyes begin to frantically scan through the crowd for the one face she wanted to see. Then amongst all the faces, he was there and when he saw his parents he lifted his hand to wave at them happily. He said goodbye to his friends and took off at a run, he jumped into Lorelai's arms.

"Hey little man!" Lorelai said squeezing him tightly, "How was it?"

Jack pulled away and held out a piece of paper to her, "It was awesome! The teacher helped me write out my name and I got a sticker!"

Luke chuckled and ruffled his son's hair, "That's awesome buddy! We are so proud of you! We will definitely be putting that right on the fridge!"

Jack smiled, "And I met lots of new friends. Auntie Liz and Uncle TJ even came to say hi...Uncle TJ said they were lost but I think he just wanted to see if I was okay."

Luke smiled and nodded, "They love you buddy."

Jack gave him a nod and then looked at his Mom, "How'd you do without me?"

Lorelai smiled softly, "It was a struggle...but somehow we made it through. Think you can handle coming back tomorrow?"

Jack nodded, "Yeah! Tomorrow we are have art class and I promise I'll make you something special to bring to work."

Lorelai smiled and kissed his cheek, "I can't wait to see it baby."

Luke smiled lifted Jack from his mother's arms and back up onto his shoulders, "Come on bud. Let's go home."

And once again, the three of them walked together, this time in the direction of the house. No one said it but they were happy to have the first day behind them. The rest of the days would be much easier after this.

* * *

That night after Jack and Elise were put to bed, Luke, Lorelai and Rory were sitting in the living room talking. There was a knock on the door and Luke got up to answer it, he smiled when he saw his nephew.

"Hey. You're back." Luke said stepping aside, "Get everything?"

Jess nodded as he walked into the house, "Yup. Just need to set it all up at the apartment. You don't care if I redecorate a bit do you?"

Luke shook his head, "Not at all. Do whatever you want with it."

Jess nodded, "Great. Thanks." He stepped into the living room and smiled at Lorelai and Rory, "Hey. How'd the big first day go?"

"We all survived somehow." Lorelai said as Luke sat down beside her again. "Jack did better than us of course…"

Jess laughed, "Of course…" He glanced upstairs, "I felt bad all day about missing it…"

"Your Mom and TJ dropped in to check on him." Luke said with a smile, "But he was a trooper. He's sound a sleep and already dreaming about what he will get to do tomorrow in school."

Jess smiled, "That's great…" He trailed off for a moment and then looked up the stairs.

Lorelai and Rory both glanced at Luke who watched his nephew for a moment, "Hey uh...wanna help me with something in the garage real quick?" Luke asked.

Jess turned towards him and noded slowly, "Oh...yeah sure."

Lorelai squeezed her husband's hand and watched him walk outside with Jess. Luke walked into the garage first and pretended to be looking for something and then gave up and turned back to his nephew.

Jess seemed lost in thought, "You okay?" Luke asked softly.

Jess sighed and reached into his back pocket, "I uh...I went and got the last of my mail and I found this…"

Luke was silent for a moment as he reached for the piece of paper, he unfolded it and began to read it. Inside was a handwritten letter from Jess's father Jimmy informing him that he was sick and wasn't given much time to live. He was reaching out in hopes of reconnecting with his son after all these years.

Luke looked at the date and noticed that it was a few months old, "Jess…"

"It was shoved way back in my mailbox. I never saw it until now…" He paused and then glanced up at Luke again, "I tried calling the number he left...but the person who answered was his old girlfriend. She said he was gone…"

Luke's heart jumped in his chest, "Jess…"

"And it's weird because he was never around...and part of me hated him but he was still my father. And I always had those moments when I wondered what it would be like to know him." He paused, "But then I was thinking about Rory...and what she's dealing with...trying to wrap her head around it all." He shook his head sadly, "I don't know...I just feel a little confused."

Luke sighed and walked over to Jess, "Look...Jimmy wasn't exactly my favorite person in the world but this really sucks. I wish I knew what to say…"

Jess shook his head again, "You don't need to say anything." He smiled softly, "You were more of a father to me than he ever was…" He frowned, "And truthfully I think that's why I'm getting a little upset."

Luke cocked his head to the side, "What do you mean?"

Jess swallowed hard, "Someday you'll be gone too...and then what happens?"

Luke sighed and reached a hand out to his nephew, "Jess…"

Jess laughed sadly, "Crap I'm sorry...I don't know why I'm getting so emotional about all of this. It's just with everything that has happened in the last few weeks got me thinking about a lot of things. And…" He paused and looked at his Uncle, "If I had never come here all those years ago...if you hadn't agreed to take me in I don't know what would have happened to me. Where I would have ended up…"

Luke let his words sink in, "Jess you are my nephew...I'm always going to be here when you need me. And you have been there for me too...if you hadn't showed up that night when you did after Jack was taken...I probably would have dismantled this garage piece by piece. I needed you to bring me back to reality...and you've been great everyday since then. Lorelai and I appreciate that more than you could possibly know."

Jess nodded slowly, "Yeah well…" He paused and rubbed a tired hand over his face, "I really just wanted to check in on Jack. I was gonna head to my Mom's...let her know about Jimmy. Not sure how she'll feel about it…"

Luke nodded, "She'll probably have mixed emotions...and we are all here for you guys if you need anything."

Jess took a deep breath and then stepped up to his Uncle to hug him tightly, "Thanks Luke…"

Luke clapped him on the back and held him tight, "Nothing to thank me for Jess. It's what families are for…"

Jess gave him a nod then waved softly as he walked out of the garage and out into the night. Luke watched him get in his car and pull down the driveway. He sighed and turned back to the house, he found Lorelai and Rory still in the same spot in the living room.

"Everything okay?" Lorelai asked as he sat down beside her, "Where's Jess?"

"He went to talk to Liz…" Luke whispered as he put a hand over her knee, "His Dad passed away…"

"What?" Rory asked softly, "When?"

"Not exactly sure. Jess was cleaning out his mail box and found an old letter from Jimmy where he said he wanted to reconnect. He tried calling but Jimmy's girlfriend told him that he was already gone…" Luke whispered.

"Oh God…" Lorelai whispered placing her hand over Luke's, "That's terrible...I mean I know that Jess didn't have a great relationship with him but that is still hard."

"Is he okay?" Rory asked softly, despite her past with Jess she always cared very deeply for him.

Luke shrugged, "Not really...I think he's just confused about a lot of things. Everything that's gone on here has made him think about a lot of different things in his life. Including Jimmy…"

Rory was quiet for a moment, "When Grandpa told me that he...that Chris tried to kill himself part of me felt angry about it because he was trying to take the easy way out. And then the other half of me sort of wished he had succeeded just so he'd finally be out of my life for good…But there was this tiny part of me that was sad because...at one point I did love him."

Lorelai sighed and reached a hand out to her daughter, "Come here kid…"

Rory got up and walked over to sit beside her Mom and Luke on the couch, "Why does life have to be so damn complicated?"

Lorelai laughed and kissed the top of her daughter's head, "I've never figured out the answer to that question. You're the smart one...you should figure it out and let me know."

Rory laughed and hugged her Mom as she rested her head on her shoulder, "It just gets so damn messy sometimes…"

"Life is always messy…" Luke whispered, "It's just the way it is...we can either face it head on or just walk way. But where's the good in that?"

Rory was quiet for a moment and let his words sink in, "But in all that messiness…" She said with a smirk, "You two found each other and managed to make it work…"

Lorelai laughed, "Yeah after years and years of finding ways to screw it all up...we managed to make it work somehow."

Rory smiled softly, "I want what you guys have…"

Lorelai smiled and squeezed her daughter's hand gently, "You'll have it someday babe...I know you will."

"Maybe…" Rory whispered and then her face blushed, "Logan called me…"

Lorelai's eyes widened, "What? When? I didn't know you guys were really talking…"

"We haven't really...we've exchanged emails here and there. A few texts…" Rory said with a shrug, "But he heard about what happened with Jack and wanted to see how everyone was doing."

"Well that was nice of him to check in." Lorelai whispered.

Rory nodded, "Yeah...it was. It was very sweet…"

Lorelai smiled at her daughter, "Rory?"

Rory sighed slightly, "Part of me has always wondered what would have happened with us if we had stayed together...I mean we didn't break up because we didn't care about each other. Our careers we're just going in different directions."

Luke had never been a huge Logan fan, but if Rory wanted to be with him he would support her 100%. "Well...do you want to be with him again?"

Rory shrugged, "I'm not really sure...he's coming into town in a few weeks and wants to have lunch. I said I wasn't sure what my schedule looked like but part of me wants to see what it would be like to see each other after all this time."

"You should go." Lorelai said with a shrug, "You'll regret it if you don't."

Rory nodded, "I think you're right about that…"

Luke smiled, "One lunch doesn't have to decide the rest of your life Rory...go and see what happens. If it becomes something more than great...if not then you'll figure it out from there too."

Rory smiled and gave them both a nod, "Okay." She yawned softly, "I think I'm gonna head to bed."

Lorelai leaned forward and kissed her cheek, "Night sweets."

"Night." Rory said giving them both a wave as she got up and walked towards the stairs.

Luke and Lorelai sat quietly for a moment before Lorelai tugged on his hands, "You okay?"

Luke glanced down at her and smiled, "Just...lots of thoughts running around in my head."

"Care to share them?" She asked as she reached a hand up to cup his face gently. "I'm told I'm a good listener when I shut up long enough to let someone else talk…"

Luke chuckled and leaned forward to kiss her, "I don't know really...just thinking about what Jess and Rory are feeling with their Dads...and how I feel towards our kids. It's been making me think a lot about my own Dad…"

Lorelai squeezed his hand softly, "You miss him…"

Luke smiled and turned towards her again, "Even after all this time I still miss him every damn day. I wonder what it would be like if he was still around ya know? My Mom too. I wonder what it would be like to see him with the kids...with you." He shrugged, "I don't know...it is what it is I guess."

Lorelai leaned in closer to him and rested her head on the crook of his neck, "Things like this always make you think about life Luke...it's normal."

"I remember right before my Dad died...I was in the hospital with him. Rachel had been visiting...she came home when she heard he was sick. She was in the hospital with me and had just left to go home and change." He paused and tried to find the right words, Lorelai caressed his hand gently to soothe him, "And when she left he looked right at me and out of the clear blue said don't settle…"

Lorelai glanced up at him slowly, "What?"

Luke smiled at her, "That was my response too...but he just repeated himself and said don't settle." He shrugged, "I didn't understand what it meant for a long time...but I think now I do."

She sat up a little straighter to see him better, "You do?"

Luke nodded slowly, "For so long in my life I was content with settling for whatever I could get. And my Dad knew that...he could see it. And I mean I cared about Rachel...but not enough to marry her. But he knew that I would have settled for her if I felt scared enough…"

"So...he meant don't settle for the wrong person?" She asked softly.

Luke nodded slowly, "The funny thing is...after he died Rachel and I were still together and then you showed up. And for the first time...I thought I could actually have more. I remember wishing my Dad was still there so I could ask him if that's what he had meant. To wait for you…" He smiled softly, "Sometimes I think he sent you to me…"

She swallowed hard, "Oh Luke…"

"You are the best thing that could have ever happened to me." Luke whispered in a cracked voice, "And I don't regret a second of the life we have shared together...even before we became an us. Even today when I wanted to take Jack and run...every time I looked at you I felt stronger. I am stronger with you...I'm better."

She leaned forward and cupped his face in her hands, "God I love you. You have no idea how much I love you." She whispered as she prepped his face with kisses.

He smiled and stopped her only long enough to kiss her back on the lips, "I think I have a pretty good idea…"

She pulled away and shook her head, "You will never understand it Luke...sometimes I don't even understand my love for you and how strong it is. But God I am so incredibly thankful for it. For you…"

Luke smiled, leaned in and kissed her again, "Can I take my wife to bed now? It's been a long day...and I just want to be with her…"

Lorelai smiled and stood up slowly, she turned and held her hand out to him. She didn't need to say anything and neither did he. They walked hand in hand up the stairs towards their bedroom. Luke made love to her that night like it was the first time for both of them. She had never felt so alive and so loved. And as they lay together afterwards she thought about how crazy life really was and how long it had taken them to get to this place. Despite all the obstacles they were exactly where they were supposed to be and they would make it through anymore storms that came their way. 

* * *

**Just a quick note: In "Raging Fire" Logan's proposal never happened so just figured I'd remind people of that. Anyway, I will try and write more soon. Thanks!**


	18. Chapter 18

**As always I enjoy writing about my favorite TV couple :) Here is the next chapter. There was this moment after I finished it that felt like it might be the end...but I have at least two more chapters planned out. So keep an eye out for them.**

 **I am also done with the next chapter for "If You Ever Want To Fall In Love"...and just came up with my next idea for "Luke and Lorelai: A Playlist" so keep an eye out for those too!**

* * *

Two weeks later, the Danes family had set a comfortable new routine. Jack was enjoying school. He was catching up quickly but still took time to meet with counselors to deal with all his emotions from the past few months. Rory had found an apartment in Hartford she would be renting as of November 1st. For now she continued to stay with her family in Stars Hollow. Jess had turned the apartment above the Diner into his own space and was writing on his next novel. April had decided to take the rest of the semester off and was looking at colleges in New England to transfer to come January.

Luke and Lorelai had both returned to work but made sure to keep time open for the kids. Two days a week Elise went to work with Lorelai and had a nice set up in her office. The other days she spent with either Babette and Morey or Emily and Richard. Today was Friday, and the following day was Saturday and the day of the renewal. Lorelai was finishing up at the office when she looked up and noticed Luke standing in the doorway with a sheepish smile on his face.

She cocked her head to the side and walked around the desk to greet him, "What are you doing here?"

Luke shrugged, "Wanted to see you."

She smiled and placed a hand on his chest before leaning up to kiss him softly, "Well hello."

"Hi." He said kissing her again, he leaned her against the door frame slightly.

She glanced around and smiled, "This happens to be a very good spot for us…"

Luke nodded slowly, "It does. One of my favorite spots actually…"

She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck, "You surprised the hell out of me that night when you kissed me...wasn't expecting it at all."

He smirked, "Not even a little bit? Not after the wedding and the flowers?"

She shrugged, "I was trying to figure out what was happening...in some ways it took us forever to get to that point...and yet in that moment it all started to happen so fast. One minute we were friends...and then we were dancing at the wedding and everything started to change."

He nodded slowly, "I guess that's true…"

"You never did tell me why you asked me to Liz's wedding…" She said carefully. "What made you finally decide to take the jump?"

He groaned and stepped back slightly, "All these years later and I thought I had successfully avoided this question."

She smirked at him, "You have to remember that my mind is like a vault babe...I keep things stored away until the perfect moment." He chuckled and she poked his sides, "I've always wondered about the book you referred too…"

He grimaced slightly, "Um…"

She smiled, "Tell me...I want to know."

He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, "Remember that book you saw in Jess's backpack at the wedding?"

Her eyes widened slowly, "That was yours?"

He nodded, "Yup. You made some comment about Dr. Phil books that day I came to check out the Inn before it opened. And we were talking about relationships and all this other stuff...and I don't know why but I had this moment of panic. Nicole and I were divorced and I was feeling alone and confused and I thought what do I have to lose? So I got one of those stupid self help books and it had all these scenarios and…"

"And what?" She asked as she leaned into him slowly.

"Every time the annoying guy asked a question...it was you." He said with a shrug.

She frowned slightly, "What do you mean it was me?"

He sighed and walked over to the bench on the porch, he sat down and shrugged. "It asked who I wanted to share good news with. Who I wanted to spend time with. Who made me happy…" He shrugged, "And the only face I saw was you…"

She smiled and walked towards him to sit down beside him, "Luke…"

"I think I always knew it was you...but having to actually visualize it made it so much clearer." He said softly, "I think for a long time I tried to deny my feelings for you but then in that moment I couldn't anymore...so I decided to finally take the risk and ask you to Liz's wedding. I figured it would be dateish but still casual enough in case something went wrong that we could just...go back to the way it was before…"

Lorelai leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek, "I love you."

He smiled and turned his face towards hers, his cheeks were slightly red as he whispered, "I love you too. And I realized it that night…"

"At the wedding?" She asked curiously, "Really?"

He nodded, "When we were dancing...I thought my heart was going to burst from my chest. But it felt right...it felt so right to hold you like that. And I remember thinking this is what I want...she's what I want. What I need…"

She sighed softly and leaned in to rest her head on his shoulder, "I still maintain that you were taking lessons before that…"

He chuckled, "Nope. Just never had an opportunity to show you have well I danced…"

"And then you walked me home...and asked me out again. I couldn't believe it." She said with a laugh, "For years there were so many times when I thought you might but you didn't...and then all of a sudden you were and I couldn't believe it."

"I've always been a little slow with things…" He said with a sad smile as he squeezed her hand in his, "Sorry about that…"

She sighed and snuggled closer to him, "Don't be sorry luke. Sometimes I think we needed all that time to get it right. Despite all the pain we caused each other...I think we needed to go through all that to realize how much we actually loved each other."

"Maybe…" He whispered as he began to play with the rings on her finger.

She lifted her head of his shoulder and smiled, "It doesn't really matter how long it took though does it? We're here now...getting married again tomorrow. We have four amazing kids and the most wonderful life."

Luke smiled and pushed some hair out of her face, "We do have a wonderful life…"

She smiled, leaned forward and pecked his lips. "Let me close a few things up, and then maybe we can go pick up Jack together? Elise is with my parents today. Babette and Morey went away for the weekend. They are going to drop her off in a little bit."

Luke smiled and kissed her back, "Sounds good."

He watched her stand up slowly and walk towards the Inn. She hesitated in the doorway and turned back to him with a sly smile on her face. He smirked, stood up and seemed to be able to read her mind. He pulled her flush against him and kissed her as passionately as he possibly could.

"To bad room 7 is occupied…" She said with a smirk.

"Evil, evil woman…" Luke said shaking his head back and forth.

She giggled and pushed him back, "You get me all to yourself for 5 days babe. I promise to make it worth your while."

He smiled as she walked towards the desk and began to look forward to their mini getaway. Since having children they had not had as much time alone together. Not that he was complaining...he loved Jack and Elise. But he couldn't pretend that he didn't miss the days when it was just the two of them sometimes. And given everything that happened in the last month or so...he was even more grateful for some time to show this woman just how much he loved her.

* * *

Once they picked up Jack, they headed back to the house together. No one else was home and Jack raced to the door to greet Paul Anka. Lorelai smiled as she carried his backpack into the kitchen and emptied his lunch box.

"So Elise and I will stay here with Jess and Rory right?" Jack asked as he sat on the ground in the kitchen with the dog.

Lorelai nodded, "Yep. And Grandma and Grandpa will be around a lot too." She turned towards him and leaned against the sink as Luke walked into to the kitchen, "Are you okay with Daddy and I being gone for a few days?"

Jack nodded slowly, "I think so…"

She frowned slightly and walked over to her son, scooping him up in her arms, "Jack…"

"You're going to come back right?" Jack asked softly.

Lorelai frowned and leaned forward to kiss his nose, "Of course we are baby."

Luke stepped towards them and rubbed his sons back gently, "Jack if you don't want us to go we can-"

"No. I want you guys to go and have fun." Jack said with a shrug, "I just get a little nervous now every time someone has to leave…"

Lorelai pulled her only son close and held him tightly to her, "I know Jack. I know...but I promise Daddy and I will be back before you know it. And we'll call as much as we can."

Jack wrapped his arms around his Mom's neck and leaned his head on her shoulder, "When you get back...Grandpa says he'll know how long Christopher has to go to jail for…"

Jack had worked hard recently to learn to say Christopher's name rather than refer to him as he or him. It had been hard at first to say the name of the man that had caused so much pain. But he had come a long way in his progress…

"That's right…" Luke whispered, "But you don't have to see him Jack…"

Jack smiled softly and nodded, "Okay…"

Lorelai sighed and kissed his face gently, "Everything is going to be fine little man. I promise."

"I know Mommy…" Jack whispered as he hugged her closely, "I trust you…"

Lorelai looked at Luke who just gave her a wink. They heard a car pull up in the driveway and Jack hopped down from Lorelai's arms. He ran off towards the front door and ran out to greet his grandparents and sister.

Luke reached for Lorelai's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, "You okay?"

She bit her lip gently, "We're doing the right thing, right? I mean leaving...with everything going on...is it okay?"

Luke sighed and stepped closer to her, "Lorelai...we don't have to go if you don't want too. But we also agreed that it would probably good for all of us to get back to normal a little and for you and I to have some space…"

She nodded slowly and wrapped her arms around his neck, "I know. And I want to be with you. I just get scared now…"

"I know…" Luke whispered as he held her close, "But we can't live in fear Lorelai…"

She squeezed him tightly, "You're a really good husband, did you know that?"

He smiled and kissed the side of her face, "I do my best…"

She pulled away and held his cheek in her hand, "Well I'm pretty damn lucky you want to marry me all over again…"

She leaned into kiss him again when they heard a voice, "Alright you two...save it for the wedding night."

They jumped apart and Lorelai laughed when she saw Jess standing in the kitchen with Jack and Richard. "Geez Jess…" Luke mumbled.

He smirked, "Lorelai your Mom is upstairs in your room with your dress for the final fitting. She's got Elise too."

Lorelai blushed and nodded, "Okay…" She gave Luke a look that said "We will finish this later" and then walked towards her bedroom.

Richard stepped into the kitchen and clapped Luke on the back, "So...any pre wedding jitters?"

Luke smiled, "A lot less than the first time…"

"Well...you have given my daughter a wonderful life Luke. And a father that's all I could ever ask for." He said with a smile.

Luke swallowed hard, "We've had a few hiccups in the road…"

Jess smiled at his Uncle and slowly ushered Jack into the living room. Richard stared at his son-in-law for a moment, "Luke…"

"You think that Christopher will be locked away for good this time?" Luke whispered, "I feel like I always expect him to creep up again...ruin something else."

Richard nodded slowly, "I can understand that fear. Christopher has caused a hell of a lot of damage over the years. If I remember correctly he broke you and Lorelai up at my own vow renewal…"

Luke grimaced slightly, "Uh yeah...he did…"

Richard leaned against the counter, "He does have a way of showing up at the worst possible time…"

Luke was quiet for a moment, "I just hate that he has caused Lorelai so much pain…"He shrugged, "I mean Lord knows I have too but...the things he has done are uncontrollable. I never want her to feel that scared again…Seeing her face when she realized he had Jack was the worst thing I had ever seen. It broke my heart and I felt like I had failed her as a husband…"

Richard swallowed hard, "Luke I made plenty of mistakes in both my marriage and my relationship with my daughter. I wish I could have been half the provider you have been-"

"Richard…" Luke whispered slowly.

Richard shook his head, "I gave my family material things. But you have given them a real life...and love which is something Lorelai always craved. I owe you a great deal Luke…you changed my daughter's life for the better."

"Well...she's a hell of a woman." Luke whispered, "She's changed my life for the better too…"

Richard clapped his hand on Luke's shoulder, "Things haven't always been easy for you too...but you've proved you can handle anything. And I believe that this will be a great new chapter in your lives together…"

Luke smiled, "I hope so…"

Richard cleared his throat nervously, "You know...I'm not going to be around forever Luke. I figure I've been lucky to be around this long given my medical history…"

Luke's smile faltered, "Richard…"

"And the one thing that gives me comfort is knowing that you will still be here to take care of my girls." Richard said softly.

Luke nodded slowly, "I will Richard. Always...Emily too."

Richard coughed gently trying to keep his emotions in check, "I know you will Luke...I know…"

Just then jack ran into the room and smiled at his Dad, "Daddy! Mommy looks so pretty!"

Luke turned towards his son and smiled, "You're Mommy is always pretty buddy."

"But tomorrow she's going to look even prettier…" Jack said with a smile.

Luke smiled and picked up his son, "I have no doubt in that Jack…"

* * *

Upstairs, Lorelai twirled in her lacey white dress. It ended at her knees and showcased her long legs which she knew Luke appreciated. It was long sleeve and hugged her curves in all the right places. She turned in front of the mirror and turned towards her Mother.

"Does it look okay?" She asked softly, "I mean I've had three kids now...my body isn't exactly what it used to be…"

Emily smirked as she bounced Elise up and down, "Lorelai you look stunning. Luke is going to love it."

Lorelai turned and smiled at Elise whose big wide blue eyes were stuck to her, "What do you think baby girl?"

"Momma pretty." Elise giggled as she reached for one of Lorelai's curls.

Lorelai smiled and pulled Elise close, "You're the pretty one baby girl…"

Emily smiled, "You and Luke did make some beautiful babies…"

Lorelai smiled as she pretended to dance with Elise, "We sure did…"

Emily's voice cracked as she spoke, "I remember the day that Luke called and said you went into labor with Jack...and then when we got there you…" She glanced down slowly, "Oh Lorelai...I was so afraid we were going to lose you."

Lorelai frowned, placed her daughter on the floor with her toys and walked towards her Mother. "Mom...you of all people know just how stubborn and determined I can be. I wasn't about to leave my babies…"

Emily watched as Elise walked back to Lorelai and held onto her leg. Lorelai smiled down at her daughter and ruffled her curls gently, "You are an incredible mother Lorelai...truly. I wish I could have been more like you…"

Lorelai frowned and looked up at her mother, "Mom…"

"I did a lot of things that hurt you over the years...and I realize now how misguided I was." She whispered.

Lorelai reached for her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, "Mom...you and I have always had a difficult relationship. But...I don't know what I would have done without you during these last few years. Having you beside me after Chris hurt me...it meant more than you could possibly know. It made me feel stronger...and you've been amazing with the kids. They adore you and Dad...it feels so good to have you in their lives this time around." She shrugged softly, "We can't change the past Mom...but I am so grateful that you are here now."

Emily took a deep breath and hugged her daughter to her, "I am so proud of you Lorelai. You are the strongest woman I know…"

Lorelai squeezed her tight, "I learned from you...never let 'em see you sweat."

"Lorelai?" A voice called up the stairs.

Lorelai poked her head out the bedroom door and smiled, "What's up babe?"

"Are we expecting people tonight?" Luke called up to her.

She frowned, "Not that I know of…" She whispered, "Why?"

"Uh...look out the window." Luke called up to her.

Lorelai walked back into the bedroom and looked out the window beside her bed. She gasped when she saw her favorite Stars hollow residents walking towards her house with arms full of food, tables, chairs and music. "What on earth?"

Emily smiled, "Why don't you change and meet us downstairs."

She turned back towards her Mom, "Mom what is all this?"

Emily shook her head, "Just meet us downstairs…"

Lorelai watched her Mother pick up her daughter and walk out of the room towards the hallway and stairs. Lorelai reached behind her and began to unzip her dress. She pushed it down her body, placed it in the garment bag and hid it in the closet. She quickly pulled on a pair of jeans and a cute shirt before quickly walking downstairs to meet her family. Everyone but Luke was standing on the porch, she spotted Jess, April and Rory helping their friends and family set up in the back yard.

"What the heck is going on?" Lorelai asked as she placed a hand on Luke's back.

He glanced towards her, "This wasn't you?"

She shook her head, "No...it wasn't you?"

"No." Luke said quickly, he noticed Sookie walking towards them.

Sookie smiled and stepped up on the porch, "Hey you two love birds."

"Sookie what is all this?" Lorelai asked softly as she glanced around the yard.

"Well we knew that we couldn't be there for the ceremony tomorrow...but we all wanted to throw you a little party tonight anyway." She said with a shrug.

"Sookie…" Lorelai said placing a hand over her heart.

Sookie smiled at her best friend, "You guys have been through a hell of a lot...and this was our way of reminding you we are all here for you. "

Lorelai's eyes welled up with tears, "You guys planned all this without us knowing?"

Sookie smiled, "It was pretty easy...you've been so busy lately that we talked about it as soon as we found out about the renewal. I called Rory and she filled us in on all the details and now here we are. Caesar and I took care of all the food...Kirk, Lane and Zach covered the music for the night. Everyone else got the tables and chairs together and here we are. It's not much...but we wanted to do something for you guys."

Lorelai leaned forward and pulled her best friend in for a hug, "Sookie this is amazing...thank you."

Sookie felt her own tears brewing, "I don't know how you've held it all together Lorelai…"

Lorelai pulled away and wiped at her tears, "I've got a pretty great guy by my side…"

Luke glanced at his wife and squeezed her hand, "Thank you Sookie...this is an amazing surprise."

"Mommy! Mommy!" Jack yelled as he ran towards her, "Sookie made a huge cake!"

Lorelai laughed when she noticed that her son had already cut into it, "She did huh?" She knelt down and wiped at her son's face, "Chocolate with her butter cream frosting?"

Jack nodded, "Yep! It's delicious! You gotta try it!"

Lorelai scooped him up and smiled at her husband, "Guess we can't have a second wedding without a second wedding party…"

Luke smirked, "Guess not…"

"Dance with me later?" She asked softly with a twinkle in her eyes, "This all started with a dance…"

Luke smiled at her, "You got it babe…"

"Will you dance with me too Mommy?" Jack asked from his Mother's arms.

Lorelai smiled as the first song began to play into the night, "You little man are my first dancing partner of the night...come on."

Sookie and Luke stood back and watched as Lorelai carried Jack out towards the designated dance floor. Luke put his arm around Sookie's shoulder and smiled as he watched Lorelai twirl Jack around and around making the young boy laugh loudly.

"How she keeps smiling through everything she's been through is still amazing to me…" Sookie whispered.

Luke sighed, "I don't know how she does it either...but she keeps me going that's for sure."

"I always knew you two would make a great couple…" Sookie whispered, "You are exactly what she needed Luke. You made her realize how muchs he was worth…"

Luke smiled softly, "Sometimes I barely remember life before her...it all seems like such a blur. Now I realize it was because I was missing a light in my life...I was missing her. You talk about me changing her life but she changed mine too Sookie. If it wasn't for her I'd still be locked away in the apartment above the Diner barely living. After my parents died...I didn't see the point in living. But she reminded me that there was still a lot of good in the world." He smiled as Lorelai dipped their son, "She is everything good in this world…"

Sookie wiped at her tears gently, "That was beautiful Luke…"

He smirked and rolled his eyes gently, "Yeah well...I have to keep part of my reputation in tact okay? Don't let anyone know about that little speech I just gave…"

Sookie laughed, "I won't…"

Rory walked up to her Step-Father and Mother's best friend and smiled, "Hey...think I can steal him for a dance?"

Luke's heart swelled at her words, Sookie smiled and stepped back, "I have to go check on the food anyway…" She poked Luke, "Try not to step on her toes too much…"

Rory smiled, "Haven't you heard Sookie? Luke's a natural born dancer…"

Luke rolled his eyes and Sookie laughed, "Aw geez…"

Rory smiled and pulled Luke's arm towards the grass where their friends and family were dancing. She smiled at her Mom who gave her a slow nod to let her know she was with her. Luke started to lead Rory on the dance floor and looked around at all the people that cared for them.

"Hey Luke?" Rory asked as she moved to the music with him.

"Yeah?" He asked softly, "What's on your mind kid?"

Rory took a deep breath and pulled back enough just to be able to see his face, "Mom and I did some research the other night…"

He frowned a little, "Research about what?"

Her cheeks turned slightly red and she smiled at him, "About if it's possible for someone my age to be legally adopted…"

Luke stopped dancing for a moment and stared at his step-daughter, "What?"

They had stopped dancing but she wasn't surprised, "You're my father…" She whispered, "You've always been my father Luke…"

He took a deep breath and glanced at his wife who was still dancing with Jack but her eyes were directly on him. Her eyes were bright with tears and she winked softly at him.

"Rory…" Luke whispered softly, "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

"There are ways to make it happen. There are forms and all that we can sign…" She took a deep breath, "I already sent a letter to Christopher...he signed off on it."

His eyes widened in surprise, "He did?"

Rory smiled, "I think he finally realized there was no use fighting it anymore...he knows you've been the one there for me all these years."

He paused and stared at her for a moment, "Are you sure about this Rory? This is a big decision…"

She nodded slowly, "Luke I don't know why we didn't do it when you and Mom got married to begin with. You're the guy that helped teach me how to ride a bike...who took care of me when I had the chicken pox. You cooked for me...moved me into school, came to my graduations. You beat up my first boyfriend when he broke my heart…"

He swallowed hard, "Rory…"

Her eyes welled up with tears, "You took care of Mom and I no matter what...and someday when and if I get married you are going to be the man that walks me down the aisle to my future husband. I'm tired of asking April, Jack and Elise if I can borrow you from time to time...I want you to be my Dad too. For real."

He cleared his throat fighting the tears back, "Wow…"

She blushed slightly, "I know it's a big deal...and if it's to weird for you I can understand that. But…" She shrugged slowly, "I figured everyone already knows it...I already feel it. Why not make it official?"

Luke took a deep breath and then pulled her in for a tight hug, "Of course I'll do it kid."

Rory breathed a sigh of relief and hugged him close, "Thank God…"

He laughed slightly and pulled away, "Did you think I'd say no?"

She shrugged, "I wasn't totally sure. Mom said you'd be up for it...but I didn't know if your Dad card was already full…"

He frowned slightly, "Rory you were my first kid...I may not have biologically had you. But from the minute you came into the Diner I would have done anything for you if you asked me too."

She wiped at a tear softly, "I know…"

He smiled and brushed her tears away, "Hey don't cry…"

She looked down slowly, "All of this has been really hard...because somewhere in the back of my mind I just always assumed Chris would pull it together. I never thought he'd stoop this low…" She sighed and looked back at him, "But having you here...protecting Mom...and me. That has made all the difference and I am so damn grateful for it Luke." She paused softly and blushed, "I mean...I'm so grateful for it Dad."

His smile grew slightly, "Dad…"

She nodded slowly, "Is that weird for me to call you that?"

He shook his head, "No...it's actually really nice."

She smiled and put her hand on his shoulder to start to dance again, "It feels right…"

"Sure does." He said as he began to lead her along the dance floor again.

He caught Lorelai's eyes as they danced and he mouthed the words "I love you." She repeated the same motions and winked at him as she danced with her son.

* * *

Later that night, Lorelai had just handed a sleeping Elise to her Mother who began walking her towards the house. She smiled as she watched them go and finally felt her mind and heart begin to relax. Her thoughts were interrupted by a pair of lips pressing against her exposed neck.

"You better hope my groom doesn't spot you mister...he tends to get a little jealous." She said with a smirk.

He chuckled and turned her around to face him, "Lorelai…"

She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck, "Hey there mister…having fun?"

Luke glanced back towards his friends and family as they continued to eat, drink and dance into the night, "Yeah. I can't believe they did all this...very sweet. But I haven't had a minute alone with you since it started…"

"They've kept us busy that's for sure." She said with a smile, "I guess it's a good thing we are going on another little honey moon."

He was quiet for a moment before turning back to his wife, "So...adopting Rory?" She beamed at him, "You're okay with this?"

"Of course I am." She said pulling him closer, "Luke you've been her father since the day we met you. It just took us all a while to realize that…she loves you. You've filled that void that Christopher left. You picked up all the pieces of her heart when he hurt her over and over. You're the best thing that happened to the both of us...this just seals the deal."

He stared at his wife for a moment and brushed some hair from her face, "And...he agreed to it?"

Lorelai's face faltered a little, "I wrote him a letter about it…" He tensed slightly, "I know I should have told you but Rory wanted me to wait until we got a response from him."

"When did this all happen?" He asked curiously.

"Soon after he tried to take his life…" Lorelai whispered, "I wrote to him about that...and about the impending trial. And then I talked about Rory...and how she has been affected by this more than either of us could have realized. I told him if he cared about her at all he would give her a fresh start...something good to hold on to."

"And what did he say?" Luke asked curiously.

She bit her lip nervously and pulled a piece of paper from her back pocket and handed it to him, "He wrote to you…"

He glanced up at her in shock, "To me?"

She nodded slowly, "I read it first because I was a little nervous…"

He nodded slowly and took the paper. They walked slowly towards the back yard and sat by the edge of the lake. Lorelai waited patiently until he was ready to read what Christopher had written. After a few moments he unfolded the paper and looked down at the page in front of him.

 _Luke,  
I have no doubt that I am the last person you want to hear from. But when I got Lorelai's letter I realized you were the only person in all of this that I had not really apologized too. I'm not sure an apology will mean much coming from me...but it's about damn time I take responsibility for a few things. What I did in taking Jack was beyond wrong. I wasn't thinking...and I truly hope that he is okay. He's a hell of a kid...you and Lorelai have done an amazing job with him. But that doesn't surprise me seeing as how well Rory turned out…  
I know now that I messed up from day one with Rory and Lorelai. I never gave them the attention and love that they deserved. I didn't know why I didn't...but now I know it's because I wasn't capable of giving them what they need. And for years that killed me...especially when I realized that you had filled that hole. So truth be told...I never hated you Luke. I was both thankful you were there when I couldn't be and jealous that you got to be that man for them.  
I should have respected your relationship with Lorelai when it first started. Showing up at Richard and Emily's renewal the way I did was a really stupid thing to do. But I panicked (something I would do often in the years to follow) and I did my best to make you run away. And for awhile you did...but then you got back together. I tried to tell myself that it was for the best. But every time I saw Lorelai I saw all the things that I had let slip away. And that night she came to me...I knew better. But I took the opportunity to make her mine again.  
I thought if I spoiled her with trips and new things for the house she'd forget about you. But it wasn't until our sham of a marriage that I realized how deep her love for you was. And the night that I attacked her was my lowest point...I realized you were the better man and every instinct in my snapped. My three biggest regrets in my life are abandoning Lorelai and Rory when she was a baby, hitting Lorelai and kidnapping Jack. Nothing I ever do will be able to make up for those things.  
When I got Lorelai's letter...I won't pretend that it didn't break the last bit of my heart. But deep down I think I have always know that you were Rory's father even if not biologically. You have been the man there when I was supposed to be. I don't have the right to ask you for anything...but I think I know you well enough to know that you will do it despite your hate for me. Enclosed are the papers signing off on Rory's legal adoption. I give you these forms under one condition...you never break her heart the way that I did. And that goes for Lorelai too.  
Give them the life they deserve. Give them the love I never could. And if you can...from time to time check in my daughter Gigi as well. She has been just as damaged from all of this as the rest of us.  
I want you to know I don't blame you for wanting me dead. But that day you once again proved you are stronger than I am. I know that you didn't stop yourself for your own benefit. You did it for your family. You knew that if you did kill me...it would break them. You think of others before you think about your own needs...a trait I apparently never learned. You're a good man Luke. And I know you will do everything in your power to keep them safe from selfish people like me.  
Enjoy your life with them. Lord knows you scored the two greatest girls I've ever known. And from the looks of it the rest of your family is just as amazing. This is the last you will hear from me. That is one promise I will be able to keep._

 _Christopher_

Luke glanced up and didn't even try to hide the tears in his eyes, "Wow…"

Lorelai leaned over and wiped his cheeks gently, "That was pretty much my reaction too…"

He let out a shaky breath and pulled out the second piece of paper. It was the signed form for Luke to legally adopt Rory. He stared at Christopher's signature for a moment. Simply staring at it made him think that all the pain that he had caused was finally starting to fade.

He swallowed hard and looked at his wife, "I guess this is really the end of all that with him…"

She nodded slowly, "It is…" She looped her arm with his and rested her head against his shoulder, "It's over…"

He let out a breath and rested his cheek against the top of her head, "Thank God…"

She closed her eyes for a moment, "I don't think we should go to his sentencing...just get the news from my Dad. I want it all behind us...I don't want to think about him or see him again. I want this to be it...no turning back."

He placed his hand over hers on his arm, "Okay…"

He felt her tears against his shirt, "Luke…"

He shifted slightly to lift her chin, "Hey...what is it?"

She shook her head slowly and leaned forward to kiss him softly, "It's just overwhelming how much I love you sometimes...how much I need you. And reading his words reaffirmed how much I love you. How thankful I am that I decided to come here to Stars Hollow…" She glanced at him with a soft gaze, "Rory and I could have ended up anywhere Luke...but something drew me here. And sometimes...I think it was you."

He smiled, "You didn't know me when you first moved here…"

She nodded, "No...but I felt something when I came here. I felt safe...and that feeling grew stronger when I finally did meet you. You saved me Luke...as much as people think I had it all together back then...but I kept a straight face on the outside. Behind closed doors when Rory wasn't looking I was barely holding on. I felt so alone...and then you came into my life and I finally started to feel at peace...I finally started to feel like I could handle things. I wasn't so scared...you were there every time I needed you. And you will never know how much that meant to me Luke...I'll never be able to express how much I needed it back then. How much I still need you…"

He let out a shaky breath, "I needed you too Lorelai...I may not have had a kid back then." He smirked, "At least not one that I was aware of…" She couldn't help but laugh slightly, "But I wasn't living...I was just existing. And then you came in and turned everything upside down. I needed you just as much as you needed me…"

She snuggled into his shoulder slightly, "Never leave me…"

He shook his head and kissed the top of her head, "Never." He held her close, "Even when we were apart Lorelai...I was still with you."

She smiled softly, "I know…"

"I love you…" He whispered, "And I'm going to spend the rest of my life making sure you know that. And our children...all four of them."

She lifted her head again and kissed him softly, "I love you too."

"Fireflies Mommy!" Jack yelled as he ran up towards them.

Lorelai smiled and pulled him onto her lap, "Where baby?"

He pointed straight over there heads, "Right there! Look!" She watched him count slowly, "There are...6 of them!"

Lorelai smiled as Rory and April came up beside them, April handed Luke Elise. "Six of them huh?"

Jack looked around, "And there are six of us!"

Lorelai squeezed him tighter, "Yes there are honey…"

April smiled and handed her Dad a pen, "Why don't we make that official?"

Luke chuckled and smiled at his daughter, "You were in on this too?"

"Rory wanted to check with me first. Make sure it was okay which of course I thought was silly. She's already my sister. This just makes it that much more official." She said with a smile.

Luke turned towards Rory, "You sure about this kid?"

She smiled and leaned against her Mother, "Positive."

Luke unfolded the paperwork Christopher had signed and looked down on the line he was supposed to sign off on. He took a deep breath and then signed his own name. He handed the paper to Lorelai who quickly added her signature below his.

"One more signature from a judge and it's permanent." Lorelai said with a wink as she glanced at her daughter.

"It's about time…" Rory whispered as she stared at Luke, "Right Dad?"

Lorelai's heart squeezed in her chest, and Luke just kept smiling at her, "Right kid…"

Jack pointed in the sky, "Hey look! There are seven of them now!" He turned towards his Mom, "Mommy are you having another baby?"

Her eyes bulged in her head, "No!"

Everyone was quiet for a moment before a bark from behind them pulled them out of their thoughts. They all began to laugh as Paul Anka trotted down towards them at the lake. He plopped down in front of Luke and he just laughed. "There's our seventh member…"

"See Paul Anka...told you Daddy loved you." She whispered.

Everyone started to laugh again as they sat together as a whole family. The healing process was finally starting...

* * *

 **Hope you liked it! I promise I will write the next two chapters. Even though this feels like a good ending...I will still show the renewal and all that too. I will try and update soon. Thanks!**


	19. Chapter 19

**Sorry for the delay! I always have a hard time writing wedding scenes! I think they always look the same and I get stuck. But hopefully this one is okay. There is more to it than just the ceremony anyway! I will try and update soon! Two more chapters after this :) Thank you all you lovely readers!**

* * *

The following morning Luke woke up as the light streamed in through the window. He yawned, turned slowly and chuckled to himself when he saw his wife fast asleep but with two young children laying over her. Elise was snuggled up to her side with her head against her chest. Jack was laying with his head on her stomach and his legs draped to the side.

Lorelai's eyes fluttered open when she heard his soft chuckle, she glanced down at her and then cringed, "Ow...my neck kills." She said with a laugh.

Luke smiled and scooped Jack up off of her, "Come here buddy…"

Jack yawned and snuggled into his side, "Wedding day?"

Luke smiled and glanced up at his wife who was gently stroking Elise's hair, "Yep. Wedding day."

Lorelai beamed at him and then felt Elise begin to stir, "Hey there sleepy girl…" She whispered, "When did you crawl into bed with us?"

She yawned softly and pointed to her brother, "Jack Jack did it."

Lorelai and Luke laughed, "Did you go get Elise?" Luke asked his son.

Jack shrugged, "I poked my head in my room on the way here and she was already out of the crib and playing on the floor…"

Lorelai tickled the little girl's sides making her giggle, "You little escapee! What are we going to do with you?"

"Big girl bed!" Elise said clapping her hands.

Lorelai pouted and lifted her up to place on her stomach, "No...you have to stay Mommy's baby girl forever. The other three betrayed me and got big! I thought we had a deal? You stay small forever and I give you all cookies you want…"

Luke smirked, "Unfortunately that wouldn't keep her small either…" He said with a laugh as he leaned over to tug on one of Elise's black curls.

Lorelai sighed dramatically and then turned to her husband with a smile, "Let's have another one!"

Luke groaned, "No way. Four's enough for me."

Jack laughed and jumped off the bed, he helped his sister down, "Let's go wake up Rory and April."

"Apple and Roro!" Elise yelled as she ran after her brother.

Luke smiled and watched them go, he turned and saw his wife pouting at him. He smirked and moved to lay over her, "Don't give me the pout missy...no more kids."

She whined and held onto his arms, "But we make such good looking ones! Why deny the world of that beauty?"

He chuckled and began to prep kisses against her neck, "Because I'm too old for five…" He lifted his head, "And you know that it wouldn't be safe…" The sad look on his face sobered her up and she nodded.

"I know…" She whispered, "But I hate how fast they are growing up...and not just Elise and Jack. Rory's a full fledged adult and April is well on her way there too...I don't want them to leave us behind."

He smiled and leaned forward to kiss her, "I know. But they won't babe...they are all going to be closer now."

She nodded slowly and reached her hands up to cup his face, "Just because we can't have another baby...doesn't mean we can't do the thing that usually creates babies right?"

He laughed again and shook his head, "Nope. We're definitely not giving that up. I'm quite fond of that activity. Plus this next week I plan on having you in bed as much as possible."

She giggled as he began to nip at her earlobe, "God I can't wait…"

He pulled away just enough to look her in the eye, "You gotta marry me first…"

She raised an eyebrow, "Technically we already are married...I gotta wait again?"

He bit his lip and looked her up and down, "I guess I can make an exception because you're so damn irresistible…"

She smiled as he lowered his lips to hers, "MOMMY!"

Elise's shrill voice pulled them apart, Luke fell onto his back with a groan and Lorelai only laughed. She sat up and reached for a sweater before getting out of bed, "Coming honey." She turned back to her husband with a mischievous look, "But you're gonna have to wait until later for me to c-"

"Don't finish that sentence." He said laughing to himself, "You're terrible!"

She giggled and leaned over to kiss his cheek, "And lucky you...you get to marry me twice!"

She practically skipped out the door and Luke watched her go, he gathered the pillows up around him and sighed happily, "You have no idea how lucky I am beautiful girl…"

* * *

Soon after waking, the house was a buzz with movement. Trying to wrangle a five and 1 and a half year old into packing and getting ready for a wedding wasn't easy. Luckily, Emily and Richard showed up soon to help with the chaos. And somehow, by 3:00pm everything was packed in the cars and ready to head to the marina. Luke was told to get in one car so that Lorelai could quickly slip on her dress without him seeing until they were on the boat.

Luke boarded the boat with Jack, Jess, Liz, TJ, Emily, Richard, Doula, and even Paul Anka. He was told to stand behind the wheel, he would steer them out into the ocean before the ceremony, not able to turn around and see Lorelai until the time was right. Lorelai walked with April, Rory and little Elise to the boat and took their places as Luke steered them out of the marina and into the open water.

Lorelai stole glances at him, she could only see him from behind but she already knew he looked incredibly handsome in his khakis and button down white shirt. Jess helped Luke anchor the boat and they took their place at the front of the boat. When they were ready, the rest of the family gathered around the area and Richard escorted Lorelai to the front.

Luke took a deep breath when he saw her, once again taken aback by her beauty. It was hard to believe that she had ever agreed to be his wife, and now they were about to renew their love for one another. They never took their eyes off of each other as Richard placed Lorelai's hand in Luke's.

Jess smiled at them both as April stood with Jack beside her father, and Rory held Elise beside her mother. "When Luke and Lorelai first asked me to perform this ceremony...I wasn't sure what to expect. I was lucky enough to stand as Luke's best man during their first wedding...and although someone has taken my place…" He smirked at Jack who stuck his tongue out at his cousin making everyone laugh, "I'm more than okay with the change up…" He turned back to Luke and Lorelai, "My Uncle Luke has been a huge part of my life since I was born. He was there when my own father wasn't...and over the years I watched him struggle to find his own happiness. And when I was sent to live in Stars Hollow...I realized he had found it…"

Lorelai blushed as she looked down at her joined hands with her husband. Luke gave her hand a squeeze and a wink making her heartbeat speed up.

Jess smiled and pressed on, "From the moment I saw Luke around Lorelai...I knew that he loved her. And at first I didn't fully understand or appreciate their relationship...but over time I came to realize that they were perfect for each other. No two people have been through more than you two...no two people have faced more obstacles. But somehow...you have grown together...become stronger...become the couple we all strive to be. When trying to decide what to say today...I found a reading that I've asked Rory to share with you...that I think perfectly describes your love…"

He turned towards Rory and smiled as she pulled out a piece of paper, she held Elise against her hip as she began to read:  
 _"Love is a temporary madness, it erupts like volcanoes and then subsides.  
And when it subsides you have to make a decision.  
You have to work out whether your roots have so entwined together  
that it is inconceivable that you should ever part.  
Because this is what love is.  
Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement,  
it is not the promulgation of eternal passion.  
That is just being 'in love', which any fool can do.  
Love itself is what is left over when being in love has burned away,  
and this is both an art and a fortunate accident.  
Those that truly love,  
have roots that grow towards each other underground,  
and when all the pretty blossoms have fallen from their branches,  
they find that they are one tree, and not two."_

Rory smiled at her Mother and now legal Father as she finished her reading and turned back towards Jess. Lorelai wiped at her tears and Luke gave her a reassuring smile as they turned back to Jess.

"You two have overcome obstacles that most people have never had to face. You have lost each other...and found each other in times of darkness. You made a choice to love each other fully and completely. And in these last few months alone...your love has been tested in ways that some people could never overcome. But you both did...and that is why we are all here today to reaffirm your love for one another. To strengthen even more your commitment and journey into the future. And with your four children by your side...I now ask you to face each other like you did 6 years ago." Jess said with a smile.

Lorelai and Luke turned to stare directly at each other, he took her hands in his and smiled. She took a deep breath and slowly the rest of the world, and the pain of the last few months seemed to melt away.

Jess smiled, "Luke...repeat after me: I believe in this marriage more strongly than ever. Lorelai it is with joy born of experience and trust that I commit myself once again to be your husband."

Luke squeezed Lorelai's hands, "I believe in this marriage more strongly than ever. Lorelai, it is with joy born of experience and trust that I commit myself once again to be your husband."

Jess nodded and turned to Lorelai, "And now your turn…"

Lorelai took a deep breath and Luke gave her hands a squeeze, "I believe in this marriage more strongly than ever. Luke, it is with the joy born of experience and trust that I commit myself once again to be your wife." Her voice cracked slightly as she finished speaking, and Luke lifted one hand to wipe away her tears before joining their hands once more.

"Seeing as we don't have new rings-" Jess started.

Luke held up a finger, "Actually I have a ring for her…"

Lorelai's eyes widened, "Luke what-"

He shook his head, "Don't argue with me on our wedding day…"

Everyone laughed and she smirked at him, "But…" She trailed off and gasped as he held up a beautiful sapphire ring that sparkled in the sinking sun, "Luke…"

He lifted her hand and carefully slipped the ring on her finger, "It reminded me of your eyes…" He whispered so only she could hear him.

She bit her lip nervously, trying to keep the tears at bay. "Luke you didn't have too…"

"I wanted too." He said closing his hand over hers, "I love you…"

She sniffled slightly, "I love you too...so much."

He stood up straighter and turned back to his nephew, "Sorry...went off script there."

Jess smiled, "In as much as you Luke, and you Lorelai, have reaffirmed your commitment in matrimony and have witnessed the same before family and friends, it is my honor to recognize your commitment to one another as husband and wife. You may kiss the Bride."

Luke turned back towards his wife and slowly pulled her up against him. She smiled and let one hand rest against his chest, while the other went to his cheek to hold him close. He smiled as she leaned in, and when their lips finally touched their family around them clapped and cheered loudly.

When they finally pulled apart, she rested her forehead against his, "God I love you…" She whispered.

Luke smiled and squeezed her hips, "I love you too…" He felt a slight tug at his shirt and he looked down to see his son staring up at him, "Hey little man…" He lifted him up and held him between he and his wife, "What did you think of your first wedding?"

"Not so bad. But I could do without the kissing…" He said with a scrunched up nose.

Everyone laughed around them, "Sorry bud...I really enjoy kissing your Mom so at some point you're going to have to get used to that…"

Jack rolled his eyes, "Fine…" He turned to look at his Mom, "But you look really pretty Mommy."

Lorelai smiled and leaned up on her tip toes to press a kiss to his cheek, "Thank you Jack Jack."

"You need a family picture." Liz said excitedly, "All of you stand together now!"

Lorelai smiled and took Elise from Rory's arms and held her close. Luke held onto Jack as April settled in beside him and Rory beside Lorelai. All six of them turned towards the camera and just as Liz was going to take the picture they heard a bark.

"Mommy we forgot Paul Anka!" Jack yelled.

"Pa Ank! Pa Ank!" Elise chimed in loudly.

Lorelai laughed, "How could we forget him?" She patted her leg with her free hand, "Come here boy!"

Paul Anka jumped down from his spot on the bench and pitter pattered over to them. He sat down in front of them, showing off his little bow tie and then all seven of them faced the camera. Liz took a few pictures until all the kids were beginning to get restless, and then Luke pulled up the anchor to set sail again.

Emily and Richard took out the champagne they had packed, and juice for the kids. Sookie had even packed them snacks and even cupcakes in place of a full cake. As they sailed around the harbor the family members rejoiced in the ability to be truly happy after so much pain in the last few months.

* * *

Later on, Lorelai detached herself from her parents and walked over to Luke as he steered them back towards the marina. Everyone but them was going to get off the boat and head home. Jess, April and Rory would be taking April and Jack while Luke and Lorelai were gone. Luke and Lorelai were going to sail up north towards Maine and take a few much deserved days to themselves.

With the marina in sight, Lorelai wrapped her arms around his middle and breathed him in, "Hi husband…"

He smiled and placed one hand over hers, "Hi wife…"

She held out her hand and let her new sapphire ring and diamond engagement ring glisten in the night air, "I can't believe you got me a ring…you spoil me…"

He smiled and squeezed her hand still on his stomach, "I enjoy spoiling you. You deserve it…"

She kissed the back of neck softly, "Today was perfect…"

He nodded in agreement, "It was...after everything that's happened lately...it felt good to have a reason to celebrate."

She sighed softly, "I don't know how I would have survived any of this without you Luke...you're the one thing I know I can always count on. I'd be lost without you...I was lost without you for so long."

Luke lifted one of her hands to his lips, "Lorelai…"

"I mean it Luke...you're the one thing that keeps me grounded. When Jack was…" She paused as her voice broke off, "There were so many moments when I just wanted to crawl into bed and never get out until I knew he was safe. But as soon as you held my hand...or spoke to me I knew that I could survive all of it. That WE could survive all of it. And we have…" She turned and saw Jack laughing with Jess about something, "He's home...and we're all going to be okay."

Luke let out a gentle breath and pulled her up beside him, "We are going to be okay…"

Emily walked towards the happy couple with a sleepy Elise in her arms, "She was wanting you…"

Lorelai smiled and pulled Elise into her arms, "Hi little one…"

"Momma pretty…" Elise mumbled in the crook of her neck, "Daddy handsome…"

Lorelai giggled and pressed a kiss to her daughter's head, "You're the pretty one little girl. So pretty…"

Elise lifted her tired head and pressed her lips together, "Love."

Lorelai leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her lips, "I love you too."

"Daddy…" Elise whispered and Lorelai lifted Elise up so she could kiss Luke, "Love."

He kissed her nose and ruffled her hair, "I love you too Elise."

Jack walked up towards them and climbed up on the stool in front of his Dad, "Can I help you steer us in Dad?"

"Sure thing bud." Luke said placing his hands over his son's small ones, "How are you feeling about Mommy and I going away for awhile? You still okay with it?"

Jack nodded, "Yeah. Grandpa says that sometimes Mommy's and Daddy's need alone time. But that you'll get us some cool presents so that's a plus."

Lorelai laughed and leaned against her husband's shoulder, "Jack…"

He turned back and smiled slightly at his Mom, "I will miss you...but I'll be okay."

Lorelai leaned down and pressed a kiss to his head, "You can call us anytime baby."

"I know. But I'll be with Jess, Rory and April. And Jess says we can have ice cream for breakfast so...that's awesome." Jack said with a smirk.

Luke chuckled, "I should say I'm mad but he'll be the one who has to deal with the sugar rush so I'll allow it."

Lorelai smiled and kissed his shoulder, "It will be the best birth control they could ever ask for…" She whispered in his ear making him chuckle.

Luke squeezed his son's hands over the wheel, "You're a strong boy Jack...the days will fly by and then Mom and I will be home. You'll be so busy with school and having fun with your sisters and Jess I'm sure you'll barely miss us."

"I always miss you." Jack said softly. "But Grandma says when you miss someone it's a sign that you love them and that means we're lucky. We have a good family she says."

Lorelai smiled, "We have an amazing family Jack Jack…"

The dock's started to come into view and Jack smiled as he turned back to his Mom, "We have the best family…"

Lorelai smiled and pulled him up against her as she felt Elise sleeping against her. Luke steered the boat to his spot in the marina and they gathered all their things. Luke and Lorelai walked with their family off the boat and back to the cars to say their goodbyes. Hugs were given and Jess took Luke and Lorelai's bags and brought them back to the boat for them so they could say goodbye to the kids.

Elise was fast asleep against Rory's arms and both Luke and Lorelai gave her a kiss. They said goodbye to April and Rory and saved Jack for last. Luke scooped him up in his arms and held him close, "You gotta be the man of the house while I'm gone bud...I don't trust Jess." He teased.

Jack smiled, "I'll make sure the house is still standing when you get back."

Luke chuckled and pressed a kiss to his cheek, "I appreciate that."

Jack turned towards his Mom and saw she had tears in her eyes, "Don't cry Mommy...I'm okay."

Lorelai sighed softly and leaned up to press a kiss to his cheek, "I know you're okay honey. I'm just so proud of you...you're so strong. And you make me feel so lucky to be your Mom."

Jack smiled and reached out to wrap his arms around her, Luke let Lorelai hold him close for a moment. Jess stepped up to them and when they were ready, took Jack from their arms. "Your stuff is all set on the boat. We'll see you in a few days."

Luke smiled, "Thank you for everything Jess...especially for officiating the ceremony."

Jess smiled, "I was happy to do it. You guys have fun. Try not to worry too much. We got everything covered here."

They finished their tearful goodbyes and watched as they got in the cars and began to drive away. Luke took Lorelai's hand, lifted it to his lips and pressed a kiss to it. She smiled and let him lead her back towards the boat. He helped her onto the deck and untied the boat before taking is place behind the wheel agian.

She smiled, "I'm going to head downstairs and change. As much as I love this dress...I'm ready to put something else on."

Luke smiled and pulled her close as he started to steer, "You look incredible in it. But I'm sure it looks even better off…"

She laughed and pressed a kiss to his cheek, "I should be grateful that you still find me attractive after all these years…"

He smirked and let his hand slide down her back to her ass, "Oh I find you more than just attractive...I find you to be the sexiest woman I have ever laid eyes on. I can't get enough of you...and I plan to get my fill during the next few days."

She smiled and leaned into him again, "We did start something this morning we weren't able to finish…"

Luke groaned when she nibbled on her ear, "I should have left the boat at the dock…"

She giggled and pulled away, "Let's go out a bit more. Anchor out there. Then you can take me downstairs…"

Luke gave her behind a squeeze causing her to jump and swat at his chest before walking across the deck. She went down below and found their bags set up on the floor beside the bed they would share. They had taken small trips on the boat before, and Lorelai had come to enjoy the gentle sway of the boat at night as they lay together.

She lifted her bag and began to rifle through the items. She had packed a few new lingerie items but suddenly noticed Luke's bag on the floor. She smiled to herself, lifted it to the bed and opened it. She pulled out one of his flannel shirts and knew that it was the perfect thing to wear. She went to the small bathroom to freshen up, she made sure to add a dab of the perfume Luke liked best on her wrists, behind her ear, on her neck and the hollow of her throat. She slipped into the familiar flannel, lifting it to her nose to breath in the smell of him. She smiled to herself and then began to tiptoe back up the little staircase.

Luke sensed her coming and turned to look at her, he smiled when he saw what she was wearing, "Look at you…"

She smiled and tugged at the sleeves of his shirt, "It was the most comfortable thing I could find."

Luke smiled and steered them out a little further before walking over to the anchor. He dropped it to the bottom of the ocean and checked everything on the boat. He turned back around and saw Lorelai hugging her arms around her, staring off across the ocean at the low hanging October moon.

It was a relatively warm October night, but there was still a slight chill in the air. Walking over to her, he wrapped his arms around her middle and pulled her against his chest, "Cold?"

She wrapped her arms over his, "Happy…"

He smiled and pressed a kiss to her neck, "Good…" He breathed her in, "Did you put that stuff on to torture me?"

She giggled and turned in his arms, "Well it is our wedding night...I wanted to look and smell good for you."

He smirked and nuzzled the side of her face, "You make me crazy all the time...you know that?"

She wrapped her arms around his middle and held him close, "And yet you wanted to marry me again...there must be something wrong with you."

He pulled away and held her face in his hands, "I told you...I'd marry you 100 times if I could. I don't know why I didn't jump at the chance the first time around…"

She shook her head slightly and pulled at the buttons on his shirt, "Babe don't…"

He nodded, "I know. I know...it doesn't do us any good to dwell on all that. But I mean it...I was crazy back then...having you as my wife has been the best thing that has ever happened to me. I love our life…"

She smiled at him, her eyes sparkling in the moonlight with unshed tears, "I love our life too…"

He reached up to push a strand of hair out of her face, "I know lately it's been…" He paused, "Difficult…"

She nodded, "It has...but we survived it all somehow. Together…"

"There's probably going to be many more obstacles we face over the years to come…" Luke whispered, "Good and bad things…"

"Hopefully more good than bad…" She whispered softly.

He smiled and gave her a nod, "I just want you to know that even during the hard times...I'm always going to be right here. No matter what we have to face...I'm going to do whatever I can to take care of you and our family. Always."

She smiled and pressed up on her toes to kiss him, "You always have…"

He rested his forehead against hers, "Rory called me Dad five times today…"

She laughed and pulled him closer, "Keeping count?"

He chuckled, "It's just new...and nice...and…" He shrugged, "Just nice…"

She smiled and pressed a kiss to his jaw, "She's so happy...I can see it. It's like a weight has been lifted off her shoulders...like she's been able to fully let all the pain he caused her go…"

Luke smiled and kissed her forehead, "He's caused her a hell of a lot of pain over the years...especially during the last few."

Lorelai looked down at his chest, staring at her ring as she spoke to him, "When she was little...she used to ask me so many questions about him. She always wanted to know where he was...why he wasn't with us. And when he came to visit...her face would light up. She'd talk a mile a minute and for the first hour...he seemed to genuinely enjoy it. And then slowly his patience would wear thin...and he'd become colder...but she was so desperate for his love...she'd try even harder. And it would break my heart to see her fall apart every time he walked away…"

Luke pressed a kiss to her forehead, "Lorelai…"

"And for a long time...I just figured I'd never be able to give her more than just me. But then we met you…" She whispered in a cracked voice, "And I'd never seen her take to someone as quickly as she did with you…" She smiled up at him, "She felt comfortable with you from the start...she adored you."

He smiled, "Well I adored her...she had me wrapped her around finger from the start."

Her smile grew, "Oh I know it...and she knew it. And it felt so good to have someone who loved her as much as I did...even when we weren't' together I knew you'd do anything for her. And that feeling only got stronger when she got the chicken pox and were by my side to take care of her." She swallowed hard, "When she was really little I always felt so alone...but as soon as I met you it was different. I knew no matter what happened I could count on you...and I always did. I always have and I always will…"

"It was easy to fall in love with you two...you were both like a breath of fresh air. My life was so…" He shrugged, "So dull...so meaningless before you showed up. I needed you both as much as you needed me...somedays I really only got out of bed in the hopes that I'd see you both walk in…"

She nuzzled his neck slightly, "Oh Luke…"

He lifted her head again so she could see him and hear his words fully, "Don't you for one second think that I didn't need you...that I still don't need you. Because I do. These last few months...you were my rock too Lorelai. You always have been. You've been the person that brings be me back down again when I need it. You remind me to live...to enjoy this life and to live it to the fullest. I feel so incredibly lucky to have you as my wife...and the mother of my children. I adore you...more and more everyday I fall in love with you."

She stood up on her tiptoes and kissed him passionately, "Take me downstairs…"

Luke smiled and turned her body and began to walk with her. Once they got down below, Lorelai crawled up onto the bed and kneeled up on the mattress waiting for him. He stared at her for a moment, sitting there in his shirt, smiling up at him with so much love it made his heart beat faster. He started to unbutton his shirt as he stepped towards her and crawled up on the bed. She moved his hands away to take over for him and he smiled as he began to unbutton his shirt on her.

"No kids to interrupt us…" She whispered as his lips found their way to his neck, "No employees to call with a crisis...no crazy neighbors…"

He nipped at her neck and up the side of her face and back to her lips, "Just you and me…"

"You and me…" She whispered as he lay her back on the bed, she smiled when he pushed open the flannel shirt, "Luke…" She whispered as she arched into him.

"Let's get married every year…" Luke whispered softly against her skin, "Every damn year…"

She giggled as he continued kissing up and down her body, "Luke…"

He smiled and pulled away to look down at her, "My wife…"

She lifted her hand and caressed his face, "My husband…"

Luke leaned down again and pressed his lips to hers...and the rest of the world melted away…

* * *

Back in Stars Hollow Elise was fast asleep in her bed. But Jack was still hopped up on cake and excitement from the day. He was currently jumping up and down on his bed while April, Jess and Rory stared at him wondering if he would ever go to sleep. Though they were all tired, all three of them couldn't deny the fact that they were just glad that Jack was here with them at all.

Jack made one final jump and then landed with a thump and a laugh on the bed, "What do we get to do tomorrow?"

Rory smiled and sat down beside her brother, "What do you want to do?"

Jack shrugged, and then began to pull at the blanket at his side, "I don't know…"

Rory frowned and reached for his hand, "You okay Jack? Missing Mom and Dad?"

Jack shook his head, "No. I know they are having fun and will be home soon. I was just thinking...about how scared I was when Christopher took me. But also...how happy I was when I saw Mommy's face."

Jess sat down on the other side of Jack, "I can imagine that that was a really good moment for you…"

Jack frowned slightly, "What do you think would have happened if Mommy and Daddy didn't find me that day?"

April swallowed hard and crawled up on the bed with the three of them, "They would have found you soon or later Jack. Nothing was going to keep them from you…"

Jack smiled, "That's what Mommy says…"

"Jack...if there is anything I know...it's that we have really great parents who would do anything for us." Rory whispered, "But just so you know...so would me, April and Jess." She smiled at the other two beside her, "And if at anytime in the next few days...you need a little reminder or a little extra love...you just tell us. Even after this week too...we're always here."

Jack nodded, "I know…" He paused, "Are you okay?"

Rory smiled and squeezed his hand, "I'm more than okay bud."

"Dad says he's officially your Daddy now." Jack whispered, "So you don't have to share him anymore."

"No. I don't. Are you okay with that?" Rory asked softly.

Jack nodded, "You've always been my sister. Nothing changes that."

"And nothing ever will." Lorelai said with a smile as she leaned forward to kiss his cheek.

He turned towards his cousin, "Mommy says all of you are going to be closer now."

Jess nodded, "Yep. I'll be living up above the Diner. You'll see me all the time."

"And I'll be here for awhile until I find an apartment in Hartford. But that's not far at all." Rory said with a smile.

"And what about you?" Jack asked softly, "You aren't going back to California?"

April smiled, "Nope. I'm hoping to be going to school very close to here...and very close to Rory."

Rory turned towards her, "What do you mean?"

April smiled, "I sent out my application to Yale yesterday...we'll see what they say. Although Grandpa says not to worry…"

Rory's face lit up, "You want to go to Yale?"

April nodded, "I want to follow in my sister's footsteps. Yale is an amazing school and it's in the perfect location. This is where I want to be right now...where I need to be."

"Maybe I'll go to Yale someday too!" Jack yelled happily.

"Maybe you will…" Rory said ruffling his hair, "But in order to do that...you need sleep!"

Jack sighed, "Oh fine…" He pulled back the covers and climbed into bed, "But if I'm going to bed that means we have ice cream for breakfast tomorrow." He turned toward his cousin, "You promised after all."

Jess smirked, "I already stocked the fridge dude. Parents away, the kids will play!"

Jack lifted his small hand out to Jess, "That's why you're my favorite cousin. Just don't tell Doula…"

Jess laughed and high fived him, "Your secret is safe with me bud. Get some sleep."

April leaned down and kissed his forehead and Rory did the same, then they turned and walked out of the room. Together the three of them walked downstairs and sat around the living room quietly.

"Well we pulled the wedding off." April said pulling her legs up under her. "I hope they have fun and can actually relax while they are away...God knows they deserve it."

Jess nodded as he rubbed his neck, "Yes they definitely do…"

Rory smiled, "They both looked so happy…" Paul Anka jumped up beside her on the couch and rested his head on her legs, "It felt nice to see them happy again…"

"I liked that reading you picked out Jess…" April whispered, "Especially that last part...about the roots...what was it?"

Jess smiled, "Those that truly love, have roots that grow towards each other underground, and when all the pretty blossoms have fallen from their branches, they find that they are one tree, and not two…"

April smiled, "It seems to describe them perfectly…"

Rory nodded, "I agree. Over those ten years of back and forth they built a bond that is truly unbreakable. I've learned that they can really overcome anything...it inspires me."

"Me too." April said with a smile, "I hope someday I can find a love like that…"

Jess smirked, "Try not to give Uncle Luke a heart attack when you bring your first real serious boyfriend home…"

"Oh please...it will happen either way." Rory said with a laugh, "He got into a fist fight with Dean during our first break up."

"He did? How did I never know that? Remind me to give him a pat on the back when they get home." Jess said with a smirk.

Rory rolled her eyes and slapped him, "Grow up…"

Jess smirked, "You both deserve the best…" He said softly, "And whoever you both end up with will be incredibly lucky…"

April smiled, "Speaking of which...are you still having lunch with Logan this week Rory?"

Rory nodded slowly, "Yeah...I'm not quite sure what to expect from it. But...it's happening."

"What about you? Heard anymore from Meg?" April asked Jess.

He smiled, "I heard she gave birth to a healthy baby girl last week…"

"How are you dealing with that?" April asked curiously, "And...everything with your Dad?"

Jess shrugged, "It's a lot all at once...but I think I have some inspiration for my next book. So that's good right?"

Rory smiled and reached out to squeeze his hand, "It's very good. And for the record...you deserve the best too Jess…"

He smiled softly at her, "Thanks Rory…"

April yawned slightly, "Well...I don't know about you but I am exhausted. And if we are going to be dealing with those two for the next five days...I should probably get to sleep."

Rory smiled, "I agree." She turned towards Jess, "You staying at the apartment or here?"

Jess smiled, "I'm staying right here. I'll probably camp down here on the couch."

"You sure?" Rory asked softly, "You'd probably be more comfortable at the apartment-"

"I'm not leaving." Jess said with a smile, "Besides I gotta make Jack that sundae in the morning."

She smiled and gave his hand a squeeze again, "Goodnight Jess."

He gave both girls a wave and went to get pillows and blankets for the the couch and settled down to go to sleep. Upstairs April and Rory settled into their own room and fell into a peaceful sleep for the first time in a long time.

* * *

Back on the boat, Luke and Lorelai lay entwined on the bed looking out of the small window where the moon shone in. Lorelai had one leg up over his hip, her head and arm rested against his chest as his hand trailed up and down her naked back.

She smiled softly and kissed his chest gently, "I always thought I'd be uncomfortable on the boat...but right now I feel so at peace."

Luke smiled and kissed the top of her head, "Good…"

She closed her eyes and traced invisible patterns on his chest, "Remember the first time we had sex on the boat?"

Luke chuckled, "Which boat?" He teased.

She lifted her head slowly, "What?"

He smirked at her, "You don't remember the time we had sex on the old boat when it was still in your garage?"

She gasped slightly and sat up, "Oh my God! I totally forgot about that!"

He laughed and stared up at her, "I was working on it...we had gotten back together after the first break up and you walked in and just watched me work. Next thing I knew you were pulling the garage door shut and pouncing on me. We couldn't make it inside so we did it on the boat…"

She laughed and put a hand over her face, "I remember I got a splinter in my butt…"

He chuckled, "Yes you did."

She laughed some more and leaned down to kiss him gently, "Well I was referring to the first time on this boat...but that was a good time too."

He smiled, "The first time on this boat...you told me you were going downstairs to change and you came back up on the deck wearing nothing but a Captain's hat…"

She giggled, "I looked so good in that hat…"

He smirked, "I can't argue with that…"

She leaned back down and rested her chin on his chest, "Well eight years of pent up sexual tension had to come out somehow…"

He smiled and reached a hand out to caress her face, "I guess you're right."

She smiled and pressed a kiss to his chest, "Think when we're old and grey we'll still want each other?"

He smirked, "Well I'm already going grey and I still want you...I'll always want you."

She smiled and pulled herself up over him, "Well just in case...why don't we go for a record number of sex during the next few days…"

Luke smiled and rolled her over causing her to gasp and then giggle up at him, "Two times down...a million more to go."

She laughed as his lips attacked her neck and she pulled him as close as possible knowing that she could never get enough of him. He was her rock, her best friend, her life and her lover. And she had never been more grateful to have him by her side...

* * *

 **I will try and update as soon as possible :)**


	20. Chapter 20

**Sorry for the delay with this chapter but here it is :) As promised there will be one more after this even though I only initially intended on writing 20 chapters. But there will be 21 :) Hope you enjoy!**

* * *

The following morning, Lorelai woke to the gentle rock of the boat and the sound of seagulls flying overhead. She rolled over in bed expecting to find her husband, but her bed was empty. She stretched out, feeling the crack of her bones. Throwing the sheet aside, she threw her feet over the side of the bed and grabbed one of Luke's flannels. She tip toed up to the top deck and shivered in the cool fall air.

She smiled when she saw Luke steering them towards shore, "There's my husband…"

Luke looked behind him and smiled at her, "Hey. You're up. I figured I'd let you sleep. You seemed tired."

She smirked as she wrapped her arms around him from behind, "You wore me out last night…"

He chuckled and put one hand over hers on his stomach, "Hey...it was our wedding night. Had to make it memorable."

She smiled and kissed the back of his neck, "Oh you did…"

"I figured we could get breakfast on the mainland. Call the kids just to check in." He said giving her hand a squeeze.

She smiled and hugged him tighter, "You know me so well…"

He tugged at her arm, signaling to her that he wanted her beside her, "I just know...that as much as we need this we both worry…"

"We do." She said snuggling into his sides.

Luke kissed the top of her head and gave her behind a pat, "Why don't you go get dressed. We'll be docking soon."

She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek and then started to pull away, she paused and turned back to him. He gave her a questioning look and she lifted a hand to hold his face gently, "I love you."

His face softened and he leaned in to kiss her sweetly, "I love you too."

Lorelai tip toed back down to the lower deck and began to get ready for the day. Twenty minutes later they docked and Luke helped her climb out of the boat. They walked hand in hand to a restaurant on the main road, after they were seated she pulled at her phone and dialed the familiar number.

After a moment a voice called into the phone, " _Mommy?"_

Lorelai smiled at Luke, "Hey Jack Jack! Are you having fun without us?"

 _"I just finished my ice cream sundae for breakfast! And Jess said we can wear our pajamas all day if we want too!"_ Jack said excitedly.

Lorelai giggled, "Well clearly Jess knows how to have a good time! I'm jealous! You want to talk to Daddy?" She waited for his answer and then handed the phone to Luke.

"Hey Bud. Ice cream for breakfast huh? Better than my pancakes?" Luke asked.

 _"Do you really want me to answer that?"_ Jack asked.

Luke chuckled, "Guess not. But I can't really blame you. Besides the ice cream...are you having fun? Behaving yourself? Helping with Elise?"

 _"Yes Dad. April is giving Elise a bath right now because she got her ice cream all over her."_ Jack said into the phone.

Luke chuckled, "Sounds about right."

He heard muffled voices before Jack came back, " _Daddy Rory wants to talk to Mom_."

"Okay. You have fun and listen to what your sisters and Jess tell you please. I love you buddy. Bye." Luke said before handing the phone back to his wife, "Rory wants to talk to you."

Lorelai smiled and pressed the phone to her ear, "Rory?"

 _"Hey Mom."_ Rory said into the phone, _"Logan called...wants to have lunch today. And I'm kind of having a wardrobe crisis. Can I borrow something from your closet?"_

"Of course. Where are you guys meeting?" She asked curiously.

 _"That new Sandwich shop near Grandma and Grandpa's. I was gonna stop in there after and check in actually. Jess is hanging with Elise and Jack for the day and April has some old friends she is going to meet up with. Is that okay?"_ She asked.

"That sounds fine. Jess should have fun now that they will be on a straight sugar high." She said with a laugh, "How are you feeling about seeing Logan?"

 _"It feels a little weird...I don't know how I will react to actually seeing him. It's been a long time...and so much has happened to both of us. But...we'll see how it goes I guess."_ Rory said with a sigh.

"Well service is kind of spotty on the boat...but you can try and call or text if you need me." Lorelai said softly.

 _"I'll be fine Mom. I want you and Luke to enjoy yourselves while you're away. Don't you worry about a thing. Did you pack that cute red blouse? I feel like that is casual enough but still says hey I'm still attractive."_ Rory said.

Lorelai laughed, "No I didn't pack it. It should be in there. Take whatever you need hon. Everything will be fine."

A loud crash and a giggle sounded from behind Rory, " _I think that's my cue...the sugar has definitely hit Jack. Say hi to Luke and have fun! See you soon! Love you Mom!"_

Lorelai smiled, "Love you too hon." She hung up the phone and placed it back in her bag.

"So I take it Rory is having lunch with Logan today?" He asked curiously.

Lorelai nodded slowly, "She is...sounds a bit nervous. I don't blame her. Meeting up with an ex is always awkward…"

He chuckled, "Can't argue with that…"

She was quiet for a moment as she thought about her words, "Did you hate talking to me when we were broken up?"

He smirked as he lifted his tea to his lips, "Which time?" She rolled his eyes and shrugged, "It was hard...there were always so many things I wanted to say every time I saw you. But it never seemed right...or I'd chicken out."

She nodded, "Yeah...I get that." She took a deep breath, "Remember the Fiddler on the Roof play? During the first break up?"

Luke nodded slowly, "Of course I do. The only reason I went to that stupid thing was because I was hoping to get a chance to talk to you…"

She frowned, "Why didn't you?"

He leaned back in his chair, "Because I was stupid and stubborn...and scared."

She nodded slowly, "I wanted to tell you I loved you that night...but I didn't think it was right. I didn't want you to feel...bad for me. Or really I guess I couldn't take the rejection again if I had…"

He sighed and leaned across the table to take her hands in his, "I wanted to tell you I loved you too…" He gave her hands a gentle squeeze, "But we weren't ready then I guess…"

She shook her head, "No...I guess we weren't."

He smiled softly at her, "But we're ready now…"

She chuckled a little, "Well I hope so! We just got married for a second time! If we aren't in love now than this all seems a little silly…"

He smiled and pulled his hands away, "Well I hope that it goes well for her…"

Lorelai smiled, "She's strong. She can handle this...no matter how it turns out."

His smile grew, "She's strong because of you…"

She leaned forward and rested one of her hands in her hand, "Luke…

He nodded slowly, "I mean it. We're all strong because of you. The last few months…" He shook his head and looked down, "Lorelai there were so many times I felt like my resolve was just going to break...but then I'd look at you and I'd be able to hold it together. You keep us all together…"

She swallowed hard, "You keep me strong Luke...we do that for each other. That's what couples are supposed to do, right?"

He smiled and nodded, "Yeah. But...you...you've always been strong. Stronger than you realize and it inspires me everyday."

She leaned further into her hand and smiled up at him, "You were right...we should get married every damn year."

He chuckled and reached across the table for her hand again. They held each other's gaze for a few moments and reveled in the feeling of happiness and love again.

* * *

Later that afternoon, Lorelai pulled up in front of the restaurant she was meeting Logan at. She took a few deep breaths, pulled at her mother's blouse and then exited the car. She pushed the door open and smiled at the hostess, whispering that she was here to meet someone. She looked around, and stopped when she saw the familiar face. He stood up slowly and gave her a slight wave.

Her feet moved forward and she was suddenly right in front of him, "Logan…"

He smiled at her, "Hey Ace...you look great."

She blushed slightly and leaned in for a hug, "It's really good to see you…"

He hugged her back, "It's good to see you too. I was glad this worked out." He pulled away and motioned to a chair for her, "How is everyone doing? How's your Mom? I spoke to your Grandpa recently...he said they were having another wedding ceremony."

Rory smiled and sat down across from him, "Yeah. It was yesterday actually. They went off on Luke's boat for a little getaway. They needed it...it's been a crazy few months."

Logan nodded, "I know. When I heard what happened with your Dad…" He shook his head, "I couldn't believe it...how is Jack?"

She shrugged and glanced down at her hands, "He's dealing with it. Somedays are easier than others I think...but for the most part he has been so strong. He's had a lot of questions...and we are doing our best. But...he seems good."

Logan smiled softly and reached across the table for her hands, "And how are you?"

Letting out a shaky breath she shrugged, "I'm...actually okay. I'm learning to let it go in some ways...it's been hard. But…" She smiled softly, "Luke legally adopted me...and in a way that's been a good way of letting Chris go…"

Logan's face softened, "Wow. That's great that he did that. I know that he cares about you like you are his own."

Rory nodded, "Yes he does. He's been great...not just the last few months or years...but since I've known him. It just...felt right."

Logan smiled and pulled his hands away, "I'm happy for you Ace...you seem...content."

She took a deep breath, "I am. I'm actually moving back...I'm at Mom's place now but I'm moving into an apartment in Hartford soon. I got a job at Yale."

"I heard a rumor about that...those students will be very lucky to have you as a Professor." He said honestly.

"Thank you Logan...that means a lot." She nervously pushed back her hair, "So...enough about me. How are you?"

Logan's face turned slightly red, "Oh...well...I've been working a lot and…" He cleared his throat and then sighed, "I'm...I'm getting married…" He blurted out.

She sat up straighter and her mouth fell open slightly, "Oh...oh wow. Logan that's great! Congratulations-"

He cringed, "It just happened recently right before I heard everything that was going on with your family…" He sighed, "But...I felt like I needed to tell you this in person. Considering…" He shrugged, "For a long time I assumed it would be you I married…"

She felt a tug at her heart but strangely she wasn't jealous, just surprised, "Logan...it's okay. We…" She paused for a moment, "We just grew apart...it happens."

He nodded slowly, "I did love you…"

She smiled and nodded in response, "I loved you too Logan...but sometimes it isn't enough." She cleared her throat again, "So...who is she?"

Logan smiled, "Her name is Jessica...she went to Princeton...she works at an art gallery in Boston. We met through my Mother believe it or not…" He laughed a little, "But she's...wonderful. And I'm really happy…"

She smiled at spoke honestly, "You look happy Logan...and I'm happy for you. And this Jessica…" She said softly, "You tell her to be good to you...or she'll have to deal with me."

He smiled, "I just...want you to know that no matter what...if you ever need anything I'm here."

She nodded slowly and reached for his hand, "Thank you Logan...that means a lot. And...I'll always be here for you too."

He squeezed her hand and then picked up a menu, "So...that stomach of yours still lined with iron?"

She chuckled and picked up her own menu, "It is...and I hear this place has massive sandwiches! But...I might need two…"

Logan and Rory fell into a comfortable conversation like no time had passed. And though it had turned out differently than Rory had expected...in some way she felt at peace with it. After everything she had been through in the last few months, she realized everything happened for a reason. And things would happen when they were supposed to...she just had to be patient.

* * *

After lunch, Rory drove to her Grandparent's house and parked in the driveway. She smiled at the maid as she took her coat and walked into the foyer to find her Grandmother reading.

"Hi Grandma." Rory said stepping up to her.

"Rory!" Emily said happily as she stood up, "What a wonderful surprise." She hugged her tight, "What a wonderful day yesterday was. Have you talked to your Mom yet?"

"I spoke to her this morning. She sounded like she was having a great time." She said as she sat down beside her.

"Wonderful. They deserve to have a nice break…" Emily said as she sat down beside her, "What brings you here? Everything alright?"

Rory nodded, "Oh yeah. Everything is fine. I was just having lunch nearby and decided to stop by. Hope that's okay. Where's Grandpa?"

"It's more than okay. He's in his office meeting with your Mother's lawyer and his new intern. Who did you have lunch with?" Emily asked curiously.

Rory tucked her hair behind her ear, "Logan Huntzberger…"

Emily raised an eyebrow, "Oh...I saw his mother recently and heard he was-"

"Getting married." Rory said with a smile, "Yes...he told me."

Emily smiled, "I wasn't sure if I should tell you...with everything else going on I decided not too. Are you alright?"

Rory shrugged, "It was a little weird when he first told me...and there was a moment of sadness. But to be honest I'm okay with it. Logan and I weren't meant to be together...he's a great guy but we just...we didn't work. And that's okay. I'm happy for him."

Emily squeezed her hand in hers, "That's very mature of you Rory." She opened her mouth to speak again but they heard voices coming from Richard's office. "Richard look who stopped by!"

Richard turned and smiled at his grand daughter, "Rory! What a wonderful surprise."

"Hi Grandpa." She said standing up to greet him, she turned towards her Mother's lawyer, "Hi Phillip. Everything going well with the case?"

"Seems to be. Since your Father is pleading guilty there isn't much to do at this point. It's really just waiting to see what the sentence is." He turned to the man behind him who Rory had barely noticed until now, "Rory this is my intern Ben Meyer. He'll be working closely with us. If you ever have questions but can't get in touch with me, you can refer to him."

Rory let her eyes linger over the tall, dark and handsome male. He had slightly shaggy dark brown hair and deep blue eyes. He had a number of freckles on his face and a bright smile that made her heart jump in her chest. She watched as he put his hand out to her to shake, "Hello Rory. It's nice to meet you."

When their hands met she swallowed hard but forced herself to speak, "Hello Ben...it's nice to meet you too."

"Ben went to Yale too." Richard said proudly, "Graduated a few years earlier than you."

Rory nodded slowly, "Oh wow. A fellow bulldog…" She said nervously, "You must be a great lawyer then."

Ben smiled, "I'm hoping to be. Your Grandpa said you are going to be a Professor there?"

Rory smiled nervously, "Yes. I start after Christmas...I'm teaching creative writing and helping out with the Paper."

"That's great." Ben replied, "I'm still on campus a lot so maybe I'll see you around…"

"Maybe." Rory said feeling a blush grow in her cheeks, "Although I'm sure I'll see you before then...with the trial coming up."

Ben nodded, "Right." He reached into his pocket and held a card out to her, "If you have any questions please feel free to call me."

She took the card and smiled nervously, "I will. Thank you."

"Well we should get back to the office." Philip said to Ben before he shook Richard's hand, "I will call you if anything changes."

"Thank you." Richard said softly, "I'll see you out."

Rory watched as her Grandfather escorted the two men towards the front door. She slowly turned back towards her Grandma and sat down beside her, still clutching the card in her hand. Emily smiled at her grandaughter, "Your cheeks are flushed…"

Rory looked up quickly, "They are?" She pressed a hand to her cheek, "They feel warm…"

Emily chuckled, "He's cute…"

"Who?" Rory asked looking back down at the card, "Ben? Yes...yes he's...he's handsome."

Emily smiled and reached for her hand, "I know you had lunch already...but would you like to stay for some coffee?"

Rory smiled as she looked up at her Grandma, "I'd like that…"

"Good. Come on...I know Ben's family well. I can tell you all about him." She said wrapping her arm around her granddaughter as they walked towards the dining room.

* * *

Lorelai and Luke were walking through the small New England town they were staying in for the night. They had decided to check into a Bed and Breakfast for at least this night to have a shower and enjoy time on the mainland. They were taking a walk near the beach, and Lorelai was balancing on a wall overlooking the ocean. Luke stood on the pavement beside her, his hand firmly in hers to make sure she didn't fall.

She giggle as she swayed slightly, "Sick of me yet?"

He laughed and squeezed her hand as she jumped over a crack in the wall, "Not even a little bit."

She stopped and turned back towards him, reaching out for his shoulders. He smiled, grabbed her by the hips, lifted her slowly and placed her down in front of him. She lifted her arms up and wrapped them around his neck, giving him a gentle and happy smile, "Well that's good to hear."

He reached up and pulled a lock of her hair, "You sick of me?"

She shook her head, "Nope. I happen to like spending time with you." She wrapped her arm around his and they began to walk again, "Think the kids are driving Jess nuts yet? He had them alone for most of the day."

"Serves him right for feeding them ice cream for breakfast." Luke said with a chuckle, "It will be the best form of birth control for him."

Lorelai laughed beside him, "That's true…" She was about to speak again when she heard her phone ding, she lifted it out of her pocket and smiled when she saw Rory's name on the front. "I wonder how lunch went."

She flipped it open and saw the words _"So much to tell you! Logan is getting married. Don't worry I'm okay. And...your lawyer has some new eye candy working for him. ;) Hope you are having fun! See you soon._

"Eye candy huh?" Luke whispered reading over her shoulder, "Interesting…"

Lorelai laughed, "Sounds like a conversation we will have to have in person…" She slipped the phone back in her pocket and then wrapped her arm around his waist, "At least she doesn't seem upset about Logan…"

Luke squeezed her shoulder, "She was too good for that Huntzberger kid anyway…"

Lorelai laughed, "You think everyone is too good for her...April too."

"And I'll feel the same way about Elise when she gets old enough to think she can date." Luke said quickly in response.

"When she think's she's old enough to date?" Lorelai asked with a laugh, "What does that mean?"

"It means she will never be allowed to date as long as I am alive...and even after that I'll probably haunt any guy who thinks they can even look at her. She's my little girl and I plan on keeping her that way." He said stubbornly.

Lorelai laughed and held him closer, "Luke...you're the one that always tells me we can't keep them from growing…"

He sighed, "I know...but sometimes I hate to think about them growing up. I hate to think of things changing…"

"I know." Lorelai said softly, "You know I feel the same way. But I guess it's all apart of life...besides we have great kids babe. They are all going to take the world by storm. I can't wait to see what they decide to do...who they will become."

Luke smiled, "Me neither…"

She was quiet for a moment as they continued to walk, "Do you worry about what kinds of questions they will have when they are older?"

"You mean about Christopher?" Luke asked as they walked on, he felt her nod beside him, "Yeah. I do...Elise may not remember much. But Jack will...and he'll have questions and I wonder how it will all affect him. But all we can do now is do our best to be there for him...get him any help that he may continue to need. He seems well adjusted...but time will tell I guess."

Lorelai stopped and sat down on the wall she had been walking on earlier, "You're right…"

Luke stared down at her and lifted her face slightly, "Whatever happens...we will deal with it together. Just like we always do."

She smiled up at him and nodded, "I know."

He traced the line from her ear to her chin and frowned, "What's wrong?"

She shook her head, "Nothing. It's just weird...I mean sometimes I feel like it was just yesterday I found out I was pregnant with Rory. And in the blink of an eye all these years passed...she's in her late twenties and I have these other kids...this whole life I never expected to have. Sometimes it all seems like I will wake up and realize it's been a dream."

He nodded, "I understand that. Some of it has been a giant blur...but it isn't all a dream Lorelai. It's real...this is our life. The good and the bad."

She smiled and leaned into his touch, "Despite the last few months...there has been more good than bad. Much more good…"

He smiled and leaned down to press a kiss to her lips, "I think so too…" He pulled away and looked around, "You know this reminds me of a place I would visit when I was helping Liz and TJ during the Renaissance Fair."

She looked around, "Oh really?"

Luke nodded, "Yeah. One day TJ was making me mental...well more so than usual." Lorelai laughed, "It was about a week into me being there...and I was frustrated mostly because I hadn't seen you...and I was still unsure about what was going on with us. So I went for a drive and ended up by the water...it had a wall like this and I just sat there and thought."

"About what?" She asked as she pulled him down beside her.

Luke straddled the wall so he could stare at her, he smiled sheepishly, "You mostly. Us...trying to wrap my head around what was happening."

She smiled and reached for his hand, rubbing it gently, "Luke…"

"I had wanted us to be together for a long time...and then I had my chance and had to run away right after our first kiss." He looked back at her with a smirk, "I was going crazy…"

She giggled, "I was going pretty crazy too...trust me."

He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her shoulder, "I had had a taste...and I wanted more. But mostly...I just wanted to know if we were on the same page...I was afraid we weren't."

"Sometimes...I think it was probably good that you had to leave after it first happened...I was always worried I would have pushed you away if you were home that summer." She said softly, "Because I was scared...and somehow talking to you on the phone was easier than talking to you in person...which is strange because we had known each other for 8 years at that point."

Luke nodded, "I agree though. We had crossed that line between friends and something more...but we didn't have to be face to face. Made it easier to be more open on the phone…"

She nodded, "There was this one time that after we got off the phone that I really wanted to see you...needed to see you. And I swear I was about ready to drive all the way up to Maine and find you...but I chickened out."

He smiled, "Trust me...there were many times I packed up to come back home too. I was missing you like crazy…"

She lifted her hand and ran her thumb along the lines in the corner of his eyes, "When you came home...I still didn't know what to expect. And then you took me to Sniffys…and afterwards we…" She blushed softly, "I don't think I'd ever been so scared...yet so...ready at the same time." She laughed slightly, "That probably made no sense…"

He shook his head, "No...I get it. I felt the same way…"

She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his, "I'm lucky you still like me after all these years...I don't know how I haven't driven you to the loony bin."

He raised an eyebrow and chuckled, "There have been a few close calls…" She shoved him playfully and he smirked, "But yeah I still like you after all these years…"

She smiled and gave him a slow nod, "You know...it's getting a little chilly." She said with a playful smirk.

He glanced around, "It is? I feel fine…"

She rolled her eyes and stood up, "No. It's cold. And there's a nice warm jacuzzi tub back at the Bed and Breakfast that we should use to warm us up…"

Luke's eyes widened and the stood up quickly, "Suddenly I'm freezing!" He said pretending to shiver slightly.

She laughed and linked her arms with his, "Come on Burger boy…"

Luke smiled as they walked together back towards where they were staying for the night. Despite all the questions and concerns about the future...he knew they would be fine as long as they stuck together.

* * *

Back in Stars Hollow, Jess was fast asleep in bed by 7:00pm with Jack after a sugar filled day. Elise had finally given in too and had gone to sleep in her own bed. April was sitting on the couch filling out college applications and Rory was finishing up cleaning in the kitchen when she heard a knock on the door. She dried her hands and walked to the foyer to open the door.

Her heart jumped in her chest when she saw who was on the other side, "Ben. Hi…"

He smiled sheepishly at her, "Hi. Sorry for the late call...but Phillip forgot to give you some paperwork when he saw you earlier. He said he wanted you to have a copy of the terms of your Dad's guilty plea. I'm not interrupting anything am I?"

She smiled and shook her head, "Oh no. Not at all. My brother and sister are already asleep. I'm just cleaning up dinner."

Ben smiled, "That's nice you are watching them. Phillip said your parents are away on a second honeymoon."

She nodded, "Yeah. Just a quick getaway. They needed it." She stepped aside, "Do you want to come in for a minute so I can look over the papers?"

Ben smiled, "Um sure...that'd be great."

Rory led him into the foyer and through the hallway to the kitchen, she caught April's eye. She gave her a look that said, 'who's the hunk?' but Rory only stuck her tongue out at her and moved further into the kitchen. She motioned towards the table and Ben smiled as he opened his folder and began to take papers out, suddenly his stomach rumbled and he blushed nervously.

She smiled, "We have some leftover pizza...do you want some? Should be still warm."

He shook his head, "Oh no that's okay. I can't ask you too-"

She smiled wider, "It's no big deal. You're an intern. I'm sure you barely have time to sit let alone eat. We have plenty. Do you like pepperoni?"

He nodded, "Yes. Thank you."

She went towards the pizza box on the stove and put two slices on a plate before bringing it over to him, "Want some water?"

"That would be great." He said sitting down as he slid the papers across the table to where she would sit.

Rory got him a glass of water and returned to the table, "Have you seen my Fath-" She paused briefly, "Have you seen Christopher at all?"

Ben swallowed his bite of pizza and shook his head, "No. I haven't met him yet. I probably won't see him until the day of the trial." He paused and reached for his glass, "I've finally caught up on everything with the case...this can't be easy for you."

Rory blushed nervously and looked down, "It's been challenging that's for sure...I was never very close to him as it is. He was a very absentee father...but I never expected any of this."

Ben watched her for a moment, "I was raised by my Dad...my Mom left when I was a baby. I've only seen her about two times in my life. I'm not sure where she even lives now...but my Dad and I are extremely close. I can understand difficult parent relationships though."

Rory frowned softly, "I'm sorry she did that to you...I know how confusing it can be."

Ben nodded, "That's for sure...and it doesn't get any easier as you get older like you'd think." He shrugged, "My Dad remarried when I was in High School...I love my Step Mom but...there's always that part of me that wonders about my real Mom and why she didn't want me."

"I can understand that." Rory whispered, "Luke has been in my life since I was young...he didn't get together with my Mom until I was much older but he was always there when we needed him. It wasn't until this last year really that I really let my own Dad go and let Luke really fill that hole. I should have done it years ago but I couldn't…"

"Somethings are not easy to let go of...family relationships are usually the most complicated." He said honestly.

"You're right about that." She said leaning back in her chair.

Ben watched her for a moment and then looked down at his plate, "Um...I don't know if this is overstepping my boundaries but...do you think you'd like to get dinner with me sometime?"

Rory blushed softly and pushed her hair behind her ear, "I...I'd like that."

He let out a breath of air, "Wow. Really? Totally expected you to say no…"

She laughed slightly and cocked her head to the side, "Why?"

He shrugged, "You're...incredibly beautiful. Definitely out of my league."

She smirked and shook her head, "I don't think that's true. Besides...you're a fellow Bulldog. We have to stick together."

Ben smiled and lifted his slice of pizza, "You know...I almost went to Harvard. But at the last minute I changed my mind."

She smiled, "Really? I thought I wanted to go to Harvard forever! But I changed my mind too!"

Ben leaned against the table, "Well Ms. Gilmore...I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

Rory smiled wider, "I think you may be right about that Mr. Meyer…"

Her heart flip flopped in her chest and she relaxed into a comfortable conversation with him. It had been a long time since she had felt this at ease with a guy and she had a good feeling about it.

* * *

In their room, Lorelai flipped open her phone to see a picture from April. It was a picture of Rory sitting at the kitchen table with a young man with the caption, _New Lawyer friend is quite the looker!_

"Who's that?" Luke asked glancing over her shoulder as he toweled his hair off.

Lorelai smirked, "I have a feeling it's the eye candy Rory was mentioning from earlier…"

Luke leaned in and glared at him, "Looks like a tool…"

Lorelai rolled her eyes and smacked him playfully, "You would say that."

Luke plopped down on the bed beside her and shrugged, "Just being honest. She could do better."

She giggled and threw her phone aside before cuddling up beside him, resting a hand on his chest as she stared down at him, "Someday you're gonna have to let go of all three of them you know…"

"No I don't. In fact I've been thinking I should invest in a shotgun." He said with a smirk.

She rolled her eyes again, "You don't believe in guns!"

"When it comes to keeping all the morons in the world away from my three daughters yes I do." He said turning to stare at her.

She smiled and leaned down to press her lips to his, "You're adorable...but crazy."

He sighed, "I just...I don't want them to get hurt." He paused and reached up to twirl a lock of her hair, "I get scared sometimes...I think about that day that I…" He swallowed hard, "That day that I saw you after Chris hurt you and it kills me. I felt like I couldn't breath when I saw you...and the idea that someone could do that to my girls too…" He shook his head, "I can't shake that fear."

"Aw hon…" She stroked his face gently, "Luke...you can't think like that. It will only drive you crazy."

"Trust me. I know. It drives me crazy on a daily basis." He sighed and rolled over on his side so he could face her, "I just want them to be happy...and Jack...and Jess...and you."

She nodded, "I know. And we all will be babe. We are now...despite everything that has happened we are happy and our kids are smart...and so is Jess. They are going to have their share of pain in their lives but they all have good heads on their shoulders. They'll make good choices...find good people to love."

He nodded and held her hand firmly in his, "Yeah I know...I just wish I could keep you all in a little bubble to make sure you're safe 24/7."

She giggled and leaned forward to press her lips to his, "I know...but we also need to let them live too."

"So they can't stay at the house with us forever?" He said with a pout.

She laughed and scooted closer to him, "Sadly no...but at least they will all be closer now."

"That's true." Luke said with a sigh, "And I guess we have some built in babysitters now...I can actually take you on dates occasionally."

She smiled and reached her free hand up to trace the worry lines on his face, "That would be nice."

He smiled gently at her, "So...second marriage…" He paused, "Well our second marriage...together…" He rolled his eyes and she chuckled, "You know what I mean…"

She nodded, "I do."

He smiled, "Any regrets? Or are you happy with the way things have turned out so far."

"No regrets." She said shaking her head, "I love our life...our family. And I love you...more now than I did years ago which is saying a lot."

He nodded in response, "I feel the same way…"

She sighed dramatically and rolled him back onto his back, "And although you refuse to give me another baby...can we do the baby making process thing?"

He chuckled, "Really? That's what you want to call it?"

"It sounded better in my head…" She said with a laugh, "Would it be better if I just said you wanna do it?"

He smiled and rolled her over onto her back this time, "How about you say...do you want to make love?"

She blushed slightly and then licked her lips before repeating his words, "Do you want to make love?"

"Yes." He said leaning forward to kiss her gently, "I do. I definitely do."

She pulled him closer and let him take the lead as their bodies reacted instinctively to one another. Six years of marriage...eight years of being romantically involved and almost 16 years of friendship...and she couldn't love another person more. He was everything to her. And she felt damn lucky to still have him by her side. 

* * *

**I will try and write more as soon as possible! Also working on "If you ever want to fall in love" and "Luke and Lorelai: A Playlist" still so keep an eye out for those too :) Thanks again for all the support!**


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